Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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523. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the latest update on the Teaching Council’s work to make it mandatory for all student teachers to undertake one mandatory school placement in a special education setting; the timeline for when this will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61576/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Education and Youth is committed to ensuring that student teachers at primary and post-primary level have the skills they need to support the diverse needs of all our children and young people. It is critical that our teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to continue to deliver high quality and inclusive education.

To that end, I wrote to the Teaching Council in March of this year to initiate a process to move towards a mandatory assessed placement period in a special education need (SEN) setting for all student teachers, supported by appropriate modules.

In seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the current landscape of school placement provision in special education settings, the Teaching Council conducted a survey across all ITE providers in April of this year.

A 100% response was received, providing comprehensive insight into existing provision. The data was analysed by the Teaching Council in May and June, and a report was presented to the Council’s Education Committee.

During July and August, the Teaching Council began drafting a Guidance Note for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to set out how placements should be organised and assessed.

The Council engaged with DEY officials, the Inspectorate and ITE providers across September and November and explored how the proposed approach would work in practice, ensuring continued consultation throughout the development process.

A formal consultation with the Teaching Council and all ITE providers will take place on 17 November 2025 to discuss the draft Guidance Note. In parallel to this, my Department will engage with unions and management bodies to ensure that schools and teachers are best prepared to support implementation.

Following this, the Guidance will be presented to the Council’s Education Committee and Council board for approval in December. It is expected to be issued to the system in late 2025 or early 2026, with implementation planned for Q3 2026.