Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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268. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider developing a policy that will require online interviews to be facilitated for primary and post-primary teachers who are living abroad and cannot attend interviews in person. [26790/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).

In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019 and 0031/2011, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired.

13.5 of Chapter 2 of Circular 0044/2019 sets out that “Schools/ETBs may decide at their discretion to facilitate interviews using digital technology, particularly in the case of qualified applicants’ resident outside the State, subject to the availability of suitable technological infrastructure and resources”.

The decision to facilitate online interviews rests with the individual school or Board of Management.

There is currently no requirement for schools to conduct interviews online and my Department is not actively developing a policy in this area at present.

Such requests are managed at the discretion of schools, taking into account their individual circumstances and resources.