Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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318. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the requirement that a minimum requisite base-level gender-knowledge and gender-sensitive teaching methods skillset be mandatory for all educators in order to register as a post-primary teacher with the Teaching Council, regardless of their chosen subject; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4742/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under Section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, all initial teacher education (ITE) programmes must be accredited by the Teaching Council for registration purposes. The Council reviewed its policy on standards for programmes of ITE and published updated standards in Céim Standards for ITE in October 2020.

Céim includes seven Core Elements which underpin all aspects of programmes of ITE, two of which are outlined below:

1. Inclusive education, which refers to any aspect of teachers’ learning aimed at improving their capacity to address and respond to the diversity of learners’ needs; to enable their participation in learning; and removing barriers to education through the accommodation and provision of appropriate structures and arrangements to enable each learner to achieve the maximum benefit from their attendance at school.
2. Global Citizenship Education (GCED): to include Education for Sustainable Development; Wellbeing (personal and community); Social Justice, Interculturalism. There should be demonstrable integration between Inclusive Education and Global Citizenship Education rooted in the principle of care for others.

• acknowledge and respect the uniqueness, individuality and specific needs of pupils/ students and promote their holistic development.
• be committed to equality and inclusion and to respecting and accommodating diversity including those differences arising from gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, ethnicity, membership of the Traveller community and socio-economic status, and any further grounds as may be referenced in equality legislation in the future.
• take all reasonable steps in relation to the care of pupils/students under their supervision, so as to ensure their safety and welfare.
• comply with agreed national and school policies, procedures and guidelines which aim to promote pupil/student education and welfare and child protection.
• communicate effectively with pupils/students, colleagues, parents, school management and others in the school community in a manner that is professional, collaborative and supportive, and based on trust and respect.

• It serves as a guiding compass as teachers seek to steer an ethical and respectful course through their career in teaching and to uphold the honour and dignity of the teaching profession;
• It may be used by the education community and the wider public to inform their understanding and expectations of the teaching profession in Ireland; and
• It has an important legal standing and is used by the Council as a reference point in exercising its investigative and disciplinary functions under Part 5 of the Teaching Council Acts, 2001 – 2015, dealing with fitness to teach.