Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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1263. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address teacher recruitment shortages in Dublin; if her Department is engaging with the Department of Housing in respect of addressing housing-related issues in an effort to attract and retain teachers; to provide details of any such engagement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43907/25]

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 available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.

As with other sectors, recruitment challenges exist in some schools including in Dublin and surrounding counties. To address teacher supply issues, the Government has implemented several measures that have led to:

• An increase of 20% in Initial Teacher Education graduates (student teachers)between 2018 and 2023.
• The Teaching Council reported 94,928 teachers registered in the 2016/17 school year increasing to 122,743 teachers registered in 2023/24. Currently, the Teacher Council have reported that there are over 126,000 on the register representing a 33% increase in the number of teachers registered between 2017 and now.
• Recent data showed there were over 79,000 qualified teachers employed in Ireland with over 43,000 at primary level including special schools and over 36,000 in post-primary schools.

Measures introduced in recent budgets included:

• Budget 2025 introduced a€2,000 bursaryto increase the number of qualified STEM teachers in post-primary schools payable in the final two years of their undergraduate programme, in exchange for a two-year teaching commitment.
• A €2,000 bursary, introduced in Budget 2024, for teachers graduating with a Professional Master of Education (PME) in 2024,aimed at encouraging newly qualified teachers to take up roles in primary and post-primary schools, and
• An expansion of upskilling programmes under Budget 2024 and continued in 2025, offering free courses to teachers in high-demand subjects to reduce out-of-field teaching.New programmes in Irish, French, politics & society, and computer science will commence in 2025 and complement existing programmes in maths, physics, and Spanish.

Cost Rental housing is a new type of housing tenure introduced under Housing for All and is targeted at those people who do not qualify for social housing, but who face affordability pressures in the private rental market. The Government recognises the need for additional Cost Rental homes, and the need to ensure key local workers can avail of these homes, including teachers, particularly in areas of high housing demand.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently exploring options for the targeting of certain Cost Rental units for key local workers, as set out in the Programme for Government. This includes opportunities to build on amendments made in last year’s Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act. That legislation included new provisions related to the Cost Rental sector which are intended to improve access for certain cohorts, including those who may be categorised as key workers.

On 2 July 2025 the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage made Regulations to implement ‘Allocation Plans’ for Cost Rental homes, including the new option of priority for local workers who have a link to an area though residence, place of employment, or children’s education. This will support people to live and work in their local area.

Other changes under consideration include provision for multiple-occupancy, which will mean friends and work colleagues can come together to access Cost Rental homes. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage continues to develop the required legal and policy framework for the range of important changes to the Cost Rental sector.

Teaching is an attractive career choice:

• With 3,700 newly qualified teachers registered with the Teaching Council in 2024, and
• Analysis of CAO applications spanning from 2017 to 2024 indicates a sustained and robust demand for undergraduate teaching programmes. On average, 6% of first preference applications during the period from 2017 to 2024 were for either primary or post-primary teaching programmes.First preference data from the CAO published for February this year showed increases in primary first preferences of 9% and in post-primary of 5%.

I am considering further measures to strengthen the teaching workforce and ensure that schools have the support needed to provide an excellent education for every student.