Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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291. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to address teacher shortages in secondary schools by allowing teachers who are working 22 hours in a school and who could work in another school on their half day, to do so, and therefore extend the ability to work up to 35 extra hours in the year, not just in one’s own school, but in others too; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42152/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The purpose of the Teaching Hours Extension Scheme, as set out in Circular 0035/2023, is to provide Post Primary school management with an alternative means of sourcing appropriately qualified substitute teaching cover to support teaching and learning in schools.

Under the terms of the scheme, teachers may provide substitute teaching cover in more than one school. However, where a teacher works in more than one school, they remain subject to the overall maximum limit of 35 hours per term, i.e. the cap applies irrespective of the number of schools in which a teacher works.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that a qualified Irish teacher, who worked in a school in Abu Dhabi, and is now looking to return to the Irish labour force, is not entitled to increments; and what plans she has to ensure teacher retention in Ireland and ensure that teachers who are in similar circumstances are welcomed back with equality of opportunity and treatment. [42179/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in my Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).

These circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of teaching service outside the EU where the schools satisfy the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit. Criteria such as state funding and the length of time the school has been in existence must be satisfied in order for service at that school to be recognised for incremental credit. Where schools do not satisfy the required criteria, then service at that school cannot be considered towards incremental credit. Teachers must be on my Department’s payroll or teaching in an Education and Training Board school before an application can be processed.

The issue of standardising the awarding of incremental credit for teachers along with other incremental credit issues are currently the subject of an incremental credit committee which is a sub-committee of the Teachers Conciliation Council. The Department is currently reviewing the issues raised at the sub-committee.

The Department of Education is engaging closely with school management bodies, teacher unions and other education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to improve the availability of teachers. It is accepted that there remain challenges and further steps need to be considered and taken. A range of new measures are being progressed.

The number of newly qualified teachers registering annually with the Teaching Council has also increased in recent years. More than 3,700 newly qualified teachers registered in 2022 and the total number of teachers on the Council's register is now more than 118,000. There has been a 25% increase in teachers registered with the teaching Council since 2017 (94,928 to 118,751).

Teaching remains an attractive career choice for our young people, as evidenced by the significant number who elect to pursue teacher training at undergraduate and graduate level.

Turas Abhaile, an initiative of the post-primary school management bodies and National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) provides support to those schools recruiting teachers. In excess of 30 teachers have been recruited in recent weeks.

Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who qualified outside Ireland may complete their induction in Ireland. This measure seeks to enhance the supply of NQTs available to schools.

Free upskilling programmes are available for registered teachers to upskill in subjects where teacher supply is tight, such as Spanish, mathematics and physics. A new Irish upskilling programme is planned for 2024.

The Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services and will continue to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and to the taxpayer. Data recently compiled at European level found that Irish teachers were among the best paid in Europe.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in my Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).

To qualify for an award of incremental credit, a teacher and their prior work experience being claimed must satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in the relevant circular. An award of incremental credit cannot be made where the eligibility criteria is not satisfied.

When an application for incremental credit is received in the Department, it is checked to ensure that it is fully completed. Applications are managed in date received order.

Applications can take up to 20 weeks to be fully processed but most are dealt with well within this time frame. Factors that impact on this processing time include incomplete application forms and conflicting information on the application form. Please be advised that if a teacher meets the criteria set out in Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers, incremental credit will be awarded and any monies due paid accordingly.