Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is aware that a number of schools are experiencing some challenges recruiting teachers for this school year. The Department meets on a regular basis with school management bodies and teacher unions on this very important issue, and has recently met with school management bodies in this regard.

Fixed term replacement teacher posts must be filled according to the current rules for teacher recruitment. These include that the recruited teacher shall be offered a fixed term contract. There is also a requirement that a person employed in a teaching position is registered with the Teaching Council in order to be paid by the public purse. This is provided for under legislation and therefore it is not possible for the State to pay a person whose Teaching Council Registration is pending.

There is an exception to this rule which permits an unregistered person to be employed in a substitute capacity for up to 5 days in place of a teacher.

Teachers who carry out substitute work and who are not on supply panels or who do not hold a permanent/fixed term contract in their own right, can be used to fill vacant posts where a school cannot secure a teacher on a longer-term basis. However, the school must continue to seek to recruit a teacher on a longer-term contract for that post.

The Department will continue to work intensively with all stakeholders to develop and implement solutions to address the teacher recruitment challenges being experienced by some schools.