Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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207. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to address a matter concerning the right to attend Teaching Council meetings (details supplied). [30634/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The members of the Teaching Council are appointed by the Minister for Education in accordance with the Teaching Council Act, in this instance, Section 8 2 (b). The mechanisms whereby the nominees to the Council are selected for membership are also defined in the Teaching Council Act, and the Teaching Council Act at Section 10 provides for the making of regulations to operate elections for those members. The functions of the Council are also defined in the Teaching Council Act, and the role of the Minister in relation to the Council is also contained in the Act.

My Department supports the Council in its work through the provision of substitution cover to allow schools to release the elected members of the Council for meetings

Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012), provides that the appointment, suspension and dismissal of teachers are the responsibility of Boards of Management of recognised schools or, where the employer is a person other than a Board, by that person.

The function of the Board of Management of a school as set out in 15 (1) of The Education Act states that “it shall be the duty of a board to manage the school on behalf of the patron and for the benefit of students and their parents and to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for each student at the school which the board has responsibility”

The Education Act establishes the Board of Management of a school who is the employer and as such has the authority to determine release time for it's employees to participate in activities including activities relating to Teaching Council membership. Under the Education Act, the Principal of a school is responsible for the day to day management of the school.

While as noted schools are supported to facilitate teachers in respect of their Teaching Council membership through the provision of substitute cover, it is nonetheless a matter for the school as established in the Education Act to determine whether an employee can be released. The principle of voluntary support by schools for this type of service is an important one, underpinning the involvement of teachers in activities including secondment of teachers to important roles in support services for example, and to participate in teacher professional learning. The collaborative approach taken by schools is notable, and schools have a strong record of cooperation and support for such activities.

To date, no such issues regarding release of teachers has been encountered for the recently appointed practising teachers on the Teaching Council.