Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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620. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if Post Graduate Certificate in Education graduates from the UK are eligible to register as a newly qualified teacher in Ireland; when changes to the eligibility criteria in relation to this took place; if she intends on making changes to the eligibility criteria in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11276/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 - www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2001/act/8 - and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016 - www.teachingcouncil.ie/assets/uploads/2023/08/revised-teaching-council-registration-regulations-2016.pdf. There are five routes of registration, the minimum registration requirements for each route are set out in the Schedule of the Regulations. The department has no role in the registration of individual teachers.

Currently, if a teacher education qualification is awarded by an initial teacher education provider from outside of the Republic of Ireland, in order to be eligible to apply for conditional registration under the EU Directive 2005/36/EC Route 1 (Primary) or Route 2 (Post Primary) with the Teaching Council in addition to the completion of a teacher education programme and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent a teacher would need to provide evidence of the completion of an induction programme or equivalent.

To assist with teacher supply challenges in the context of a demographic need, the Teaching Council has proposed the creation of a timebound provision within the revised Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations, 2016.

This timebound provision, once enacted, would enable eligible teachers who have qualified outside of the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to apply for registration and complete their induction requirement in the ROI. The implementation of the revised Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations is subject to a staged Proportionality Assessment process in line with the 2018 EU Proportionality Test Directive.

Subject to the outcome of the Proportionality Assessment process, the timebound provision is intended to open to applications from the implementation date of the revised Registration Regulations. It is anticipated that the timebound provision could open in the first or second quarter of 2025, however, the exact timeline for opening applications is dependent on the implementation date of the revised Registration Regulations.

The Teaching Council has a statutory remit and there is a provision in the legislation which allows them to make regulations for the purposes of registration. A further Statutory Instrument (SI) is required to establish the proposed creation of this timebound provision, which under the Teaching Council Act is a matter for the council. The Council is still in the process of revising details of the regulation including eligibility criteria.

It should also be noted that applicants will likely have to meet certain eligibility and qualifications requirements prior to approval. Further details will be provided on the website, www.teachingcouncil.ie, regarding the implementation of the timebound provision.