Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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256. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to provide route 4 teachers the option to gain route 1 registration for primary teaching with an Irish Language requirement condition with the option of completing an aptitude test, SCG – An Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge, or an adaptation period OCG – Oiriúnú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7776/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State.

It is a function of the Council under the Teaching Council Acts (s7) (2) to act as the competent authority for the recognition of qualifications obtained by a person who has applied under this Act for registration as a teacher. The Council registers teachers in accordance with the Teaching Council Acts and the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulation 2016.

As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration which are namely, Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher.

The minimum registration requirements for each route is set out in the schedule of the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2016 and each Route has requirements specific to that Route.

In accordance to the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2016 and The Teaching Council [Registration] (Amendment) Regulations 2016, there are two main entry routes for persons wishing to register under Route 1 Primary on the basis of qualifications in primary school teaching (Junior Infants to Sixth Class) awarded in Ireland:

- A recognised Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree.

- A recognised Graduate/Higher Diploma in Education (Primary) in combination with a primary degree at level 8 or a qualification at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Notwithstanding registration under any other Route, these are the requirements applying to Route 1 Primary registration and registration is contingent on meeting those requirements. The Department does not have a role in the registration of individual teachers.

Route 4 Registered teachers are eligible under Department Circulars for employment in restricted school settings, i.e. in certain categories of special schools and in certain classes in mainstream schools where Irish is not a curricular requirement.