Written answers

Monday, 9 September 2024

Department of Education and Skills

School Staff

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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646.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the shortage of primary teachers, if initiatives have been considered to make it easier to attract suitable people from other professions, i.e., supporting the fees for the PME or by establishing special bridging courses under Springboard or under the human capital initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[35369/24]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.

There are now more teachers than ever working in the Irish education system. In March 2024 there were 74,145.9 FTE (full time equivalent) equating to 78,646 teachers employed.

There are less than 1% resignations in the Primary sector every year and 1.6% in Post Primary. The number of teachers who retired over the past number of years has varied, with 932 in 2013 and 1,074 in 2023.

A range of measures have been introduced leading to

an increase of 20% in Initial Teacher Education graduates (student teachers) between 2018 and 2023, and a 29% increase in the number registered with the Teaching Council since 2017,

an increase of 13.3% in the number of teaching posts allocated to primary schools between 2017/18 and 2023/24.

There are a number of providers of both the Professional Master of Education (PME) programmes and undergraduate programmes that provide pathways to becoming a teacher. These different programmes may be suitable for persons wishing to upskill or change career to become a teacher. Any initial teacher education programme must meet the benchmark established in Céim – Standards for Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Céim sets out the requirements that all ITE programmes in Ireland must meet in order to gain accreditation from the Teaching Council. It is also a benchmark for anybody seeking to register as a teacher in Ireland.

Budget 2024 introduced several measures reflecting this Government’s commitment to ongoing investment in the education system to address teacher supply issues. Key initiatives include a new bursary-type, fee refund scheme for teachers graduating with a PME (professional master of education) in 2024. This €2,000 payment will be made in 2025 to eligible primary and post-primary teachers. The purpose of this scheme is to encourage newly qualified teachers who have completed a PME in 2024 to take up teaching roles.

This will recognise the costs that PME students incur when completing their initial teacher education, assist them with these costs and encourage suitable candidates to consider a career in teaching.

Teaching is an attractive career choice:

Over 3,700 newly qualified teachers registered with the Teaching Council in 2023 with over 122,000 now on the register.

Analysis of CAO applications spanning from 2017 to 2024 indicates a sustained and robust demand for undergraduate teaching programmes. On average, 6% of first preference applications during the period from 2017 to 2024 were for either primary or post-primary teaching programmes.

The new pay deal will mean that teachers’ starting salary will increase to €46,000 rising to a maximum of €85,000 per year which compares well internationally.

Ireland’s education system is performing strongly, something that is supported by recent international testing. That is a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of our teachers. We need to continue to support our schools and maintain the high standards that have helped get us to where we are.

The Department will continue to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further innovative measures to address teacher supply issues.

Photo of Steven MatthewsSteven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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647.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to a teacher shortage in a school (details supplied); the actions she will take to work with school management to address these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[35380/24]

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

Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.

There are now more teachers than ever working in the Irish education system. In March 2024 there were 74,145.9 FTE (full time equivalent) equating to 78,646 teachers employed.

There are less than 1% resignations in the Primary sector every year and 1.6% in Post Primary. The number of teachers who retired over the past number of years has varied, with 932 in 2013 and 1,074 in 2023.

Measures introduced have led to

an increase of 20% in Initial Teacher Education graduates (student teachers) between 2018 and 2023, and a 29% increase in the number registered with the Teaching Council since 2017,

a 16.7% increase in the number of teaching posts allocated to post-primary, and an increase of 13.3% allocated to primary between 2017/18 and 2023/24.

Budget 2024 introduced several measures reflecting this Government’s commitment to ongoing investment in the education system to address teacher supply issues. Key initiatives include:

a new bursary-type, fee refund scheme for teachers graduating with a PME (professional master of education) in 2024. This €2,000 payment will be made in 2025 to eligible primary and post-primary teachers. The purpose of this scheme is to encourage newly qualified teachers who have completed a PME in 2024 to take up teaching roles.

Expansion of upskilling programmes, free to teachers, aimed at increasing the number of qualified teachers in high-demand subjects and reducing out-of-field teaching. New programmes in Irish, French, politics & society, and computer science will complement existing programmes in maths, physics, and Spanish.

The new Irish upskilling programme will be delivered to post-primary teachers (over two intakes) starting in late 2024, available at no cost to eligible teachers.

Trinity College Dublin will deliver the new Irish upskilling programme for post-primary teachers starting in late 2024. The programme will be open to registered post-primary teachers irrespective of employment status who are not already registered in the subject of Irish.

The programme will be provided in a flexible and innovative manner to enable broad participation, accommodating teachers in both full and part-time roles, as well as those situated across the country and will be delivered in a way that enables participants to engage in new learning experiences across face-to-face, online and practice-based learning.

Funding will support two cycles (two intakes) of the programme and is expected to cater for over 100 teachers. On graduation from the programme participants will be able to register to teach Irish at the highest level in post-primary education.

In addition to these recently introduced measures, as Minister I have developed further initiatives to address teacher supply challenges, including:

increasing the number of student teachers who can provide substitute cover; over 3,700 were registered to substitute in June 2024, up from 2,700 that were registered in the previous school year.

increasing the pool of teachers available to undertake substitute work, through the continued suspension of the usual limits on career break and job-sharing schemes and the continuation of the teaching hours’ extension scheme in post-primary schools to 2024/25 school year.

encouraging retired teachers to work as substitute teachers; in the 2023/24 school year, over 1,700 retired teachers provided substitute cover, an increase of 12% on the previous year.

the Teaching Transforms campaign continues to promote the teaching profession and encourage students to follow a career in teaching. Promotion campaigns have been developed to coincide with the CAO closing date and change of mind deadline in recent years.

Teaching is an attractive career choice:

Over 3,700 newly qualified teachers registered with the Teaching Council in 2023 with over 122,000 now on the register.

Analysis of CAO applications spanning from 2017 to 2024 indicates a sustained and robust demand for undergraduate teaching programmes. On average, 6% of first preference applications during the period from 2017 to 2024 were for either primary or post-primary teaching programmes.

The new pay deal will mean that teachers’ starting salary will increase to €46,000 rising to a maximum of €85,000 per year which compares well internationally.

Ireland’s education system is performing strongly, something that is supported by recent international testing. That is a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of our teachers. We need to continue to support our schools and maintain the high standards that have helped get us to where we are.

The Department will continue to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further innovative measures to address teacher supply issues.

Photo of Steven MatthewsSteven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

648.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions she is taking to address the concerns of Gaelscoileanna at second level regarding the challenges in the recruitment of teachers who can teach through Irish; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[35382/24]

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

Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.

There are now more teachers than ever working in the Irish education system. In March 2024 there were 74,145.9 FTE (full time equivalent) equating to 78,646 teachers employed.

There are less than 1% resignations in the Primary sector every year and 1.6% in Post Primary. The number of teachers who retired over the past number of years has varied, with 932 in 2013 and 1,074 in 2023.

Measures introduced have led to:

  • an increase of 20% in Initial Teacher Education graduates (student teachers) between 2018 and 2023, and a 29% increase in the number registered with the Teaching Council since 2017,
  • a 16.7% increase in the number of teaching posts allocated to post-primary, and an increase of 13.3% allocated to primary between 2017/18 and 2023/24.
Budget 2024 introduced several measures reflecting this Government’s commitment to ongoing investment in the education system to address teacher supply issues. Key initiatives include:
  • a new bursary-type, fee refund scheme for teachers graduating with a PME (professional master of education) in 2024. This €2,000 payment will be made in 2025 to eligible primary and post-primary teachers. The purpose of this scheme is to encourage newly qualified teachers who have completed a PME in 2024 to take up teaching roles.
  • Expansion of upskilling programs, free to teachers, aimed at increasing the number of qualified teachers in high-demand subjects and reducing out-of-field teaching. New programs in Irish, French, politics & society, and computer science will complement existing programs in maths, physics, and Spanish.
  • The new Irish upskilling programme will be delivered to post-primary teachers (over two intakes) starting in late 2024, available at no cost to eligible teachers.
  • Trinity College Dublin will deliver the new Irish upskilling program for post-primary teachers starting in late 2024. The programme will be open to registered post-primary teachers irrespective of employment status who are not already registered in the subject of Irish.
  • The programme will be provided in a flexible and innovative manner to enable broad participation, accommodating teachers in both full and part-time roles, as well as those situated across the country and will be delivered in a way that enables participants to engage in new learning experiences across face-to-face, online and practice-based learning.
  • Funding will support two cycles (two intakes) of the programme and is expected to cater for over 100 teachers. On graduation from the programme participants will be able to register to teach Irish at the highest level in post-primary education.
In addition to these recently introduced measures, as Minister I have developed further initiatives to address teacher supply challenges, including:
  • increasing the number of student teachers who can provide substitute cover; over 3,700 were registered to substitute in June 2024, up from 2,700 that were registered in the previous school year.
  • increasing the pool of teachers available to undertake substitute work, through the continued suspension of the usual limits on career break and job-sharing schemes and the continuation of the teaching hours’ extension scheme in post-primary schools to 2024/25 school year.
  • encouraging retired teachers to work as substitute teachers; in the 2023/24 school year, over 1,700 retired teachers provided substitute cover, an increase of 12% on the previous year.
  • the Teaching Transforms campaign continues to promote the teaching profession and encourage students to follow a career in teaching. Promotion campaigns have been developed to coincide with the CAO closing date and change of mind deadline in recent years.
Teaching is an attractive career choice:
  • Over 3,700 newly qualified teachers registered with the Teaching Council in 2023 with over 122,000 now on the register.
  • Analysis of CAO applications spanning from 2017 to 2024 indicates a sustained and robust demand for undergraduate teaching programmes. On average, 6% of first preference applications during the period from 2017 to 2024 were for either primary or post-primary teaching programmes.
  • The new pay deal will mean that teachers’ starting salary will increase to €46,000 rising to a maximum of €85,000 per year which compares well internationally.
Ireland’s education system is performing strongly, something that is supported by recent international testing. That is a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of our teachers. We need to continue to support our schools and maintain the high standards that have helped get us to where we are.

The Department will continue to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further innovative measures to address teacher supply issues.

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