Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if students from Ireland who have done their teacher training course in the UK can return to Ireland to complete their induction rather than doing so in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17011/24]

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.

The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015. There are five routes of registration with the Teaching Council which are namely Route 1: Primary, Route 2: Post-primary, Route 3: Further Education, Route 4: Other and Route 5: Student Teacher. The registration requirements for each route is set out in the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2016.

The Teaching Council has a statutory remit and there is a provision in the legislation which allows them to make regulations for the purposes of registration. The Teaching Council registers overseas qualified teachers in accordance with the EU Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive, whereby teachers registered overseas, including having completed any mandatory period of induction, can apply for registration. Registration criteria include having completed induction in the country in which the qualifications were obtained prior to registering with the Teaching Council of Ireland.

To support teacher supply, the Teaching Council implemented Statutory Instrument No. 12 of 2023, Teaching Council (Registration) (Amendment) Regulation, which provided for overseas qualified teachers to undertake their induction in Ireland for a defined period. This period has now expired and therefore the facility is no longer open. In the context of the Council's legislative remit, this provision was put in place via a Statutory Instrument (SI), and as such, the SI defines the period during which the measure operated.

A further Statutory Instrument would be required to establish the Teaching Council (Registration) (Amendment) Regulation for a further period, which under the Teaching Council Act is a matter for the Council.

Since the 1st of February 2024, applicants for registration who qualified out of state will be required to apply for registration under the standard application process for out of state qualified teachers. They will be required to provide evidence of being a fully qualified teacher, including evidence of having completed induction in the country of qualification.

The Teaching Council is considering whether it can make any further amendment to the Registration Regulations to again put in place this provision (to enable overseas qualified applicants to complete induction in Ireland) as the current amendment has expired, in the context of its legislative framework, including relevant EU legislation.