Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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431. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for incremental credit (details supplied); if the Teaching Council will accept the documents provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57337/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post-primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). The relevant circular applying here is 29/2007.

These circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of overseas teaching service, both within and outside the EU. Where a school satisfies the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit, an award of incremental credit can be made. There is no contractual entitlement to incremental credit.

The teacher to which you refer is not awaiting the outcome of a CID application but has submitted one incremental credit application to the department with respect to their prior teaching service in the UK. The application is claiming incremental credit for teaching service in two schools, however, it is necessary to submit separate applications with respect to each incremental credit claim and each school must certify the details around a teacher’s service in their school.

The relevant unit of my department has advised this teacher directly as the requirements to have teaching service in both schools considered for incremental credit purposes.

The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2025. As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration: Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The qualification requirements for each route are set down in the Schedule.

The Teaching Council is the regulator of the teaching profession in Ireland. Their role is to protect the public by promoting and regulating professional standards in teaching. They do this through the statutory registration of teachers, ensuring a highly qualified teaching profession, whose members meet and uphold high standards of professional competence and conduct.

The Teaching Council has informed my Department that they have reviewed the query regarding this teacher’s condition of Droichead and will contact the teacher directly with regards to this query.