Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

351.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans, if any, to amend the legislation under which the Teaching Council operates to ensure that they accept and process applications for registration of teachers who were awarded their teaching qualification outside of the state, throughout the year, the reason for the very limited opportunity each year to register; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25607/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 and there are five routes of registration.

The mechanism referenced in the query refers to an amendment made to the Teaching Council's registration regulations which was initially introduced as a short term, temporary measure to ease teacher supply issues during the pandemic. It enabled teachers who had not completed induction in the country in which they qualified, but who met particular criteria, to obtain registration in Ireland. This in turn gave them an opportunity to complete induction here. The Teaching Council Act allows for registration as a fully-registered, overseas-qualified teacher, covered under EU mutual recognition of professional qualifications legislation, which in most jurisdictions includes induction in the country in which they obtained their qualification in order to be fully registered. So the existing legal framework for regulation established through the Teaching Council Act provides for those fully-registered overseas qualified teachers. An amendment to the regulations is needed to facilitate overseas qualified teachers to complete induction in Ireland, and it should be noted that this goes beyond what is provided for through the relevant EU Directive, as well as also introduces an additional cohort to the domestically qualified of newly qualified teachers who must be supported through the induction process in Ireland.

The mechanism was introduced again via an amendment to the registration regulations in the context of ongoing teacher supply challenges, with that amendment closing for applications on 1 February 2024. A further Statutory Instrument would be required to establish this Regulation for a longer period, which under the Teaching Council Act is a matter for the Council.

Through engagement with the Council on this matter, I can advise that the Council is considering any further amendment to provide for the completion of induction in Ireland for overseas qualified teachers in the context of its legislative framework, including relevant EU legislation.

Any updates in this regard will be published on the Teaching Council website www.teachingcouncil.ie .