Written answers
Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Department of Education and Skills
School Staff
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide details of the workforce planning currently being carried out by her Department in light of current projections for Ireland's school-age population and the consequent needs for teachers, SNAs, and ancillary school staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6473/25]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers and other school staff available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government. The Irish school system is fortunate in the quality of their workforce and that teaching remains an attractive profession.
Like many sectors, recruitment challenges exist in the education sector, especially in urban areas. While the vast majority of positions are filled, some schools face recruitment challenges.
The Department has had in place a Teacher Supply Steering Group which oversees the development and implementation of the Teacher Supply Action Plan since 2018. Some of the key measures emerging from this process that are in train are:
- Budget 2025 included a bursary for student teachers to increase the number of qualified STEM (including science, maths, chemistry, physics, engineering) teachers in post-primary schools. The bursary, a €2k payment each year for the final two years of their undergraduate initial teacher education programme, is contingent on a commitment to complete a minimum 2 year’s post-qualification teaching service in a recognised post primary school.
- Budget 2024 also included the 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 commence in 2025 and will complement existing programmes in maths, physics, and Spanish. Trinity College Dublin will deliver the new Irish upskilling programme for post-primary.
- Budget 2024 introduced a €2,000 bursary-style fee refund for teachers graduating with a Professional Master of Education (PME) in 2024. This payment, to be made in 2025, aims to encourage newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers to take up teaching roles. A circular issued in September 2024 from the department setting out the eligibility criteria and an online portal opened recently for applications.
- Continuing the Teaching Transforms campaign, which promotes 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.
- In 2025, the Department will continue to work on the teacher demand and supply model following updated demographic projections and any relevant policy changes arising from the new Programme for Government as it is implemented over the Government’s term.
A number of strands of workforce development is underway, including initial planning for delivering on the Programme for Government commitment.
A project focused on Strategic Workforce Planning for the Teaching Workforce in Ireland commenced in October 2024. The project is supported by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and implemented by UNESCO, in cooperation with the European Commission is expected to be completed within two years.
The project aims to consider the sustainability of the teaching profession in Ireland, with a focus on the factors that impact teacher supply, drawing on both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including a desk review of relevant literature, statistical analysis, surveys and interviews. It will examine EU and international good practices in the planning and management of teacher workforces, incorporating peer-learning workshops and a study visit.
Co-creation with educational stakeholders is an integral part of the project. Their insights will strengthen the quality of the analysis, and this approach will help to develop greater agreement amongst stakeholders on teacher supply issues in Ireland and the required solutions.
It is envisaged that the recommendations put forward in the context of the project will feed into the development by the Department of a strategic workforce plan for the teaching workforce in Ireland.
In addition, the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) Workforce Development Unit within the Special Education Division of my Department is currently working on the first Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan. The plan will introduce policy developments which will bring clarity and direction to the SNA service.
The plan is being developed in consultation and collaboration with stakeholders including school leaders and the SNAs, giving all parties an opportunity to provide input and share views on the future development and direction of the SNA service. There are five key areas that the plan will address:
- Pillar 1 - Review and development of the SNA role
- Pillar 2 - Establishment of a quality framework
- Pillar 3 - Establishment of a SNA learning and development programme
- Pillar 4 - Supporting SNA recruitment, retention and diversity
- Pillar 5 - Development of a communications strategy
My Department is on track to deliver the SNA Workforce Development Plan in September 2025.
The Department frequently consults stakeholders and will continue to engage closely on issues such as workforce planning through industrial relations forums, sectoral meetings, and direct discussions.
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