Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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194. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of adding an additional week of immersion in the Gaeltacht to the programme for trainee teachers. [27994/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the current requirements for the mandatory ‘Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht’ or Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of two 2-week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education.

Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of GLPs for undergraduate and postgraduate students in State-funded primary ITE programmes, with effect from the 2020/2021 academic year.  The grant was previously funded by the Department up to the 2012/2013 academic year, when it was ceased due to financial constraints. 

The rate of GLP grant is currently set at €845 per placement, up from €815 in 2024, and the cost in 2024 was approx. €2.3m for 2,869 places.

Based on the above, an estimate of ca. €1.2 million per year is the additional cost to the exchequer for providing an additional one-week immersion in the Gaeltacht for undergraduate and postgraduate students in State-funded primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes.

Assumptions are based on providing an additional week for the State-funded HEI students, running consecutively to the current two weeks. 

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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195. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing COGG funding by 5%, by 10%, by 15%, by 20%, and by the cost of inflation since Budget 2025. [27996/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that COGG funding in 2025 amounts to €3,418,000. 

In addition, the Department has sanctioned the appointment to COGG of an additional two Education Officers in 2025 for work that will be assigned to COGG under the Department’s new Policy for Irish medium education outside of the Gaeltacht.  This funding is estimated at €70,000 in 2025 (full year cost is €210,000) and will be paid, by way of non-recoupable secondments, directly from the department’s teacher payroll.

A further five Education Officers and one Executive Officer in 2025 have been sanctioned by the Department for COGG for work under the Department’s new Action Plan for Irish in English medium schools.  This funding is estimated at €210,000 in 2025 (full year cost €630,000) and will be paid, by way of non-recoupable secondments, directly from the department’s teacher payroll. 

The estimated cost of increasing COGG funding is set out below:

**figure includes the cost of 8 non-recoupable secondments in COGG for one third of 2025  (from September 2025) paid directly from the department’s teacher payroll. 

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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196. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of the Gaeltacht teaching allowance in the last year of its full operation; and if her Department has estimated a cost for its restoration for Gaeltacht teachers in 2025. [28003/25]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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197. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of the Irish-medium teaching allowance in the last year of its full operation; and if her Department has estimated a cost for its restoration for Irish-medium teachers in 2025. [28004/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together.

The full cost of the Irish-medium teaching and the Gaeltacht teaching allowance for 2024 is €2 million and €1.84 million respectively. This includes the cost for the primary, post primary and ETB sectors in 2024.

My department, along with other Departments across the public service, implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments (September 2012) by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (DPENDPDR).  This meant that many allowances including the allowances that the Deputy refers to were no longer payable to “new entrants” including Teachers.

Additional amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, including pay and allowances, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the Public Service unions. The restoration of allowances is one of the matters that may come under consideration under the local bargaining provision for Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026 and  as matters under industrial relations processes are confidential to the parties it would not be appropriate for me to comment any further at this time.