Teaching Council Bill, 2000: Second Stage (Resumed).

Question again proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

Mr. Browne

(Carlow-Kilkenny): When I last spoke on the Bill I dwelt on the role of teachers. The council will comprise 37 members. Given its proposed size there is a danger it may become unwieldy. If each group represented has two members, will they not duplicate their work in terms of policy? Would one member not be sufficient to make the council more workable? I presume the Minister is following precedent in determining the size of the council, but smaller numbers would be better if there is work to be done. Every group can be represented by having smaller numbers. The provision for two, four, seven or nine members from groups merely increases the number and the ideas put forward will be similar.

One of the functions of the council is to deal with teacher training. It should spend a lot of time on this. While I welcome the changes that will allow people with degrees or honours degrees to do the H-Dip in Education with a view to taking up teaching, it is important to stress that teaching is an art. A person with the genius of Einstein may convey very little information to a class. Teaching skills should be fostered and I hope the council will deal with that. The Minister should ensure teaching skills are imparted to those studying for the teaching profession.

What makes teaching difficult is conveying information. People think that teachers attend school from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during which time they write things on a classroom board. There is an art in conveying information, including to those who may not want to absorb it. That is what makes teaching so difficult. It is very easy to teach those who are eager to learn, but many students do not want to be at school. This has become more prevalent since the raising of the school leaving age to 16 years. It makes life very difficult for others.

In dealing with so many aspects of teaching I hope the council will also deal with the peripheral problems. The psychological service is very important, as is the handling of children who suffer from dyslexia. Some remedial teachers cover six or seven schools, which means they are remedial teachers in name only. A remedial teacher should be appointed to every reasonably sized school or, at the least, there would be one teacher for every two schools. A local newspaper may report the appointment of a remedial teacher for which somebody may claim credit, but the service is insufficient. Given the wide remit of the council it should have an involvement in this aspect.

Fitness to teach is another aspect of the Bill. While there are many good teachers, there is a difficulty in handling situations where classes are stuck with a bad teacher. While there are many reasons a teacher may be removed from his or her position, none deals with the competency aspect. It appears that fitness to teach in the Bill is concerned with health, unprofessional conduct and so on. While those should be sufficient grounds for removing a teacher, what happens when teachers are unable to control or teach a class? Parents are concerned about this and often worry during the summer holidays about their children being taught by certain teachers when they return to school. This must be addressed. Every profession has minimum standards below which action is taken.

Mr. J. Brady:

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. The Teaching Council Bill is an appropriate mechanism to bring education into a new era and the new millennium. It is further proof of the Government's commitment to education and our young people. I compliment the Government on its overall efforts in education.

I am fortunate that a number of major projects in my area, some of which have been sought for years, have benefited from funding. These include a new building for St. Oliver's post primary school at Oldcastle, and major extensions to Kells community school and Dumbaragh national school outside Kells, where I was taught.

This is a sizeable amount of funding concentrated in a relatively small area. I hope for further good news on other projects at Yellow Furze national school, Stackallen national school and Clonmellen national school, which, although in County Westmeath, cater for a large area in County Meath. I also hope that a new school will be provided at Eureka Convent of Mercy all girls post primary school in Kells.

Education is an important agent for social transformation. The Bill is very important for teachers, pupils and parents. It provides for the establishment of a teaching council and will afford the teaching profession a significant degree of self regulation. It shows this House has the highest confidence in the teaching profession. The establishment of a teaching council has been sought by teachers and other parents in education for some time. Teachers will play a key part in the development of their profession by working through the council. They will have the opportunity to provide for the establishment of standards and policies for the education of future generations and they will have greater responsibility for the standard and quality of education available.

The Bill will provide an assurance that teachers who work with children meet the highest standards of professional qualification and competence through a professional code of conduct. Registration with the council will imply that a teacher has attained a satisfactory level of professional qualification and training. A teacher must be registered to be eligible for employment in a State funded position as a teacher.

Other professions have formally recognised bodies. The Irish Medical Council and An Bord Altranais have been vital in the development of the respective professions they represent. Similarly, the professional role of teachers will now be formally recognised by the State in a teaching council.

The teaching council will be an independent statutory agency. Its remit will include promoting teaching as a profession, establishing and maintaining codes of professional conduct and establishing and maintaining a register of teachers. It will also determine the qualifications and criteria for registration. It will devise arrangements for registration, induction and probation. It will advise the Minister on the work of the council and on matters relating to the educational qualification for new entrants to teaching, the number of teachers and the training needs of the profession. It will conduct inquiries into a teacher's fitness to teach and impose sanctions where necessary. It will review and accredit programmes of teacher education and training and it will carry out a number of functions in relation to the recognition of the qualifications of teachers trained outside Ireland. It will also co-operate with its equivalent body in Northern Ireland.

The council will consist of 37 members, of whom 22 will be registered teachers. Institutions involved in teacher education, recognised school management organisations, the national associations of parents and the Minister for Education and Science will nominate the other 15 members. It will conduct the majority of its business through committees. An executive committee, an investigating committee and a disciplinary committee will be established. The council may establish further committees if deemed necessary in the performance of its functions. The establishment of a teaching council in Northern Ireland will ensure that all teachers, North and South, move forward together.

Our education system has played an important role in our economic success. A young and well educated population provided a sound base from which this success developed. The Bill will ensure a continuation of our highest education standards. The concerns of students and parents have often been overlooked in debates on education. This Bill will provide a platform to air all concerns.

The Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, has broken new ground recently by embarking on a meaningful consultation process with children. Children were asked for their opinions and what they would like to see in the children's legislation. Their views were taken on board and incorporated in the Bill. Will the Minister consider making provision for students' views to be taken on board in this Bill by requiring the council to consult students regularly, meaningfully and positively? The model used by the Minister of State could be a suitable one. Representatives should be included from the soon to be created national children's office, Dáil na nÓg, and, when appointed, the ombudsman for children and youth organisations, such as the National Youth Council.

While the Bill is called the Teaching Council Bill, it is not the preserve of teachers; it is about promoting high values and a quality education system. Students are the major stakeholders in the education system. I encourage the Minister to make provision for students' views to be taken into account. In an age of openness and consultation, it is vital that we consult in a meaningful way with all those involved in the education system. If such representation were allowed, it would bring about a situation whereby students would be able to engage with the council in a positive and meaningful way rather than being called as witnesses in competency cases. Student representation would further ensure that young people learn from an early age to engage with a democratic system. The professions and the democratic system would further learn to engage with its citizens from an early age.

This Bill allows for teacher representation which is distinct from the role of teachers' unions. Maintaining and improving standards is a key requisite in ensuring the survival of all professions. The Minister is right when he states that teachers' representative organisations will complement each other in promoting teaching as a profession.

I wish to share my time with Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Mr. J. Bruton:

Well done. I agree with every word the Deputy said.

Mr. B. O'Keeffe:

That is from one Meath man to another. He has paid him due homage.

Mr. J. Bruton:

The Deputy will not go wrong if he takes his advice from Deputy Johnny Brady.

Mr. B. O'Keeffe:

That means something coming from the other side of the House. We recognise he is a sound man.

Mr. J. Bruton:

He has the safest seat in the Dáil. That is what I always say.

Mr. B. O'Keeffe:

I welcome the Teaching Council Bill because it will help to promote teaching as a profession, which is important. It will serve to improve the quality of teaching throughout the State. It sets standards for the education and training of teachers as well as providing methods to investigate any allegations of misconduct by teachers. The impact teachers have in our education system is immeasurable. The establishment of such a council is long overdue. The passing of this Bill will benefit students, teachers and everyone in the State. We have often heard it said in the past that a teacher cannot be sacked. Under this Bill that issue will be addressed once and for all and people will know there is recourse.

Section 7 outlines the main functions of the council. These are: to promote teaching as a profession; establish, review and maintain codes of professional conduct for teachers; establish and maintain a register of teachers; establish and promote standards in the programmes of teacher education and training; promote the continuing education and professional development of teachers; and conduct inquiries into the fitness of teachers to teach and, where appropriate, impose sanctions. The latter function will be welcomed by teachers because for too long they have felt they were overly criticised in this regard. Teachers are proud of their profession and they want it to be regulated in the same way as other professions.

The teaching council will enhance professionalism by maintaining and developing the standards that are required. At present there are many professional bodies such as the Medical Council and An Bord Altranais which have already set a precedent for the achievement of objectives similar to those set out in the Bill. It is long overdue that teachers should be represented by an officially recognised professional body, namely, the teaching council. The council will confirm the status of teachers, entitle them to regulate their own affairs and, more important, empower them with increased responsibility and accountability in respect of the quality of education on offer.

Overall, the Bill will advance the professionalism and professional image of teachers nationwide. Teachers want to be recognised as professionals who care for the needs of children and their parents. It is appropriate to pay tribute to the tremendous work they have done over the years in educating the population. They have played a major role in the developments that have taken place in the economy during the past 20 to 40 years.

Under the Bill, teachers will play a key role in the regulation and development of their profession. One aspect of the Bill that adds a great deal of professionalism is the code of conduct provided for in section 6. This code, which will be drafted by the teaching council, will provide a sense of collective professional identity that will have far-reaching effects.

To ensure the quality of education students receive, the teaching council will maintain a register which will serve as its main regulatory instrument. This register will stand as an expression of the standard of teaching and the level of knowledge that teachers aspire to procure and maintain. The Bill will allow the teaching council to decide the information which should be held on the register. Such items may include any disciplinary findings on a teacher's record as well as the length of time they should remain on the register.

In order to be registered, teachers will have to meet certain standards in terms of their qualifications and training. Only those who reach such standards will be allowed to have their names entered on the register. After initial registration, teachers will have to renew their registration on an annual basis. This development will be wel comed by parents because it will provide them with an assurance that they children will be educated by qualified and competent professionals.

The establishment of the teaching council will also benefit parents in that it will make available to them a course of action if teachers fail to meet acceptable standards of practice. Section 40 sets out the procedures for dealing with complaints, which are vitally necessary at this stage. The Minister is to be congratulated on the excellent way this section has been drafted. If difficulties arise, there will be a mechanism in place to deal with them.

The members of the various disciplinary committees that will be established to deal with such matters will be appointed by the teaching council. The committees will provide for a course of action in the event of complaints being made, while also ensuring that the rights of teachers and the right of recourse to the courts are also recognised. The council will, however, have the right to strike off teachers after investigating allegations of gross misconduct. This is a welcome development.

The teaching council will have a key role in reviewing, updating and establishing teachers' education and training programmes. The Bill will ensure high standards among teachers and it will allow these to be maintained and strengthened. The teaching profession needs to change and adapt to current needs in order to accommodate students. Allowing teachers, through the teaching council, to play an active part in updating their training and education programmes, will prevent our education system from becoming outdated and outmoded.

The Teaching Council Bill stands to benefit teachers, students, parents and the State. Teaching is a profession that has a tremendous impact on young people: the future of our nation. It is a profession that needs to be recognised, held to standards and given the opportunity to move forward. The Teaching Council Bill will improve the quality and professionalism of teachers while giving them increased input into the advancement of their profession. In the event of unsatisfactory performance, parents and students will have a course of action to follow. This is a welcome development.

I commend the Bill to the House.

Mr. Bradford:

I thank Deputy O'Keeffe for expediting his contribution. By doing so he has provided me with a few additional minutes to speak on the Bill.

I welcome the opportunity to comment on this important legislation, which will be of enormous benefit to the education sector. The recent debate about teachers' pay has expanded into a discussion of their performance and the wider role they play in the community.

The performance of teachers is difficult to judge or measure and, therefore, that the House should introduce the Bill which will help in the promotion of teaching as a profession and, more important, assist in the professional development of teachers is welcome. I welcome the fact that the Bill makes provision for all partners in education to be represented on the council. That is very important. I hope the days are long gone when the fear of inspectors visiting schools produced a defensive reaction not only from students but also from members of staff.

Everyone concurs with the view that there must be accountability in the State's handling of teachers, their qualifications and their professional development. The Bill will be of great benefit in this regard. The importance of setting, developing and maintaining the highest standards of teaching in this country is evidenced by the role played by teaching graduates from all sectors of education in attracting overseas investment. The Celtic tiger economy exists because of the quality of our education system and the role played by the people who have delivered education over the years. We must now move forward and the Bill will put in place a fine structure to strengthen the education system further.

Among the objectives of the teaching council, which are set out in section 6, will be to regulate the teaching profession and the professional conduct of teachers, to establish the maintenance and improvement of these and to encourage the ongoing education and training of teachers throughout their careers. The Minister should clarify if he envisages whether all in-career developments or ongoing education will be co-ordinated by the teaching council. As he is aware, the current position in relation to in-career development and in-service courses is that they are offered by a range of bodies including teachers' centres, the NCTE, the Department of Education and Science and various other organisations.

The Minister needs to clarify the extent of the council's responsibility for the ongoing education of teachers.

I welcome section 7 which provides for the maintenance of a register of teachers and the qualifications for registration. Concern has been expressed by Members at the shortage of primary school teachers, but there is also a shortage of teachers at second level in particular subjects. A recent survey highlighted that up to 35% of schools had difficulty recruiting Irish teachers. Many schools also have difficulty recruiting technical graphics, French and home economics teachers in particular. The Teaching Council must examine the issue of allowing teachers qualified at one level to teach in other levels of the education system. This issue has been raised in the House before but we need to make progress in this regard.

I also wish to refer to the various levels of understanding of child psychology required at primary level. These levels may differ due to the behaviour and understanding of teenagers in second level. The Minister will agree that the teacher training courses must be geared to allow teachers work at primary or second level as this would minimise the current shortage of primary teachers.

The Teaching Council must also examine the issue of allowing teachers who obtain qualifications in other countries to work in Ireland. I welcome the promotion of Irish at all levels of the education system. However, during debate on the education Estimates last week, I raised the necessity for teachers to hold the ceard teastas for oral or written Irish. This is an obvious barrier to overseas teachers gaining employment in Ireland.

During debate on the Estimates I asked a Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science to update us on the review of this certificate. I have received representations on this matter from a number of constituents who pointed out that they are ineligible for posts in many schools. We must review the need for this certificate. Given the shortage of teachers we must reach out to people with suitable qualifications and the ceard teastas is no longer a genuine requirement.

Schools have much to gain from broadening their experience through the employment of more overseas teachers. Irish graduates have enriched education systems in other countries and graduates from such countries could be of enormous benefit to our system. This is why we must examine the teaching of Irish and the ceard teastas.

It is impossible to predict how many teaching graduates will go into teaching as many enter other areas of the private and public sectors. There has been concern for many years about the number of entrants to courses who will gain immediate employment in the private sector. I am referring in particular to woodwork, metalwork, home economics and science teachers. Graduates from these courses have gained an excellent reputation but we must examine the number who enter the teaching profession as opposed to taking employment in the private or public sectors.

Sections 8 to 13, inclusive, deal with the establishment of the council and the employment of a chief executive and other staff. The Minister will be aware that the legislation will only be as effective as the resources made available. I am concerned the council may not have adequate resources to carry out its various functions. A maximum amount of resources must be made available to the council, particularly in its first few years. The fact that there has been no such council up to now will invariably mean there will be a backlog of cases and issues to be dealt with in the early years. The Minister will need to pump prime the council to ensure that, in its first two or three years, it has the resources necessary to deal with any queries or problems referred to it.

Will the Minister clarify the position as regards the Data Protection Act? The register of teachers will contain information on up to 44,000 teachers, but will that information come within the provisions of the Data Protection Act?

I have more to say on the Bill but I appreciate the time constraints. I look forward to the Mini ster's reply and the enactment of the Bill as the council and the registration of teachers will further improve the education system.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

I thank the many Deputies who contributed to the debate on this Bill. We had quite an extended Second Stage debate with a large number of Deputies on both sides of the House participating. This indicates the genuine interest of Members in promoting, sponsoring and advancing the Bill which provides for a Teaching Council for the teaching profession. I am anxious to get on with this timely legislation and I hope it will not be delayed.

The Teaching Council will play a central role in ensuring that the high quality of education in Ireland will continue with the many changes and challenges taking place. The establishment of a Teaching Council is fundamental to the growth and development of the teaching profession. I will go further and suggest the council has a great deal to offer teachers.

A number of Deputies referred to the difficulties some principals are encountering sourcing teachers. The Government has increased the number of students on the H-Dip from 800 to 1,000 per year, and the number of students on the BEd course to 1,000 per year. It has also provided 280 places on the 18-month graduate course. The usual number would be 100 places so there has been a substantial increase due to the huge demand created by the large number of people seeking to enter the profession.

Even with this progress and these successes, I am keenly aware that while we have made great strides in recent years a great deal remains to be done. I assure the House I will do my best to ensure this work is carried out as quickly as possible. To reduce the pupil-teacher ratio, and to help schools in disadvantaged areas in particular, we have provided an additional 1,225 teachers at post-primary level. This will be increased by another 400 under the PPF which is delivering extra teachers to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio.

At primary level, an additional 1,200 teachers have been provided. This figure will increase by a further 900 under the PPF. We are increasing the demand for teachers because we are appointing a large number of additional teachers. In simple terms, it means we are going to the market looking for more teachers than normal, which is pushing up demand.

The report of the expert group I established to examine the teacher allocation process at second level is expected to be available shortly. Further improvements in staffing at second level will have regard to the work of that group. Some Deputies argued I have not provided sufficient in-service training, particularly with reference to IT training. The number of days provided for in-career development currently stands at between 120,000 days and 130,000 per annum. Each year there has been a dramatic increase in the number seeking ins-ervice training, which is much to the credit of our teaching profession. Other countries expect teachers to be somewhat reluctant to participate, but that is not the case here. Large numbers are participating in these courses and many extra courses are provided to the extent that the number of days provided for in-career development is 130,000. That represents a 100% increase on the 1997 provision. In addition, 35,000 teachers have availed of IT training courses, each course being of 20 hours' duration.

While many training courses target individual teachers, the concept of the school as a unit of change has gained momentum. An example is the primary curriculum support programme, which to date has targeted whole school staffs in organising programmes of professional development associated with the implementation of the revised primary school curriculum. In addition, a comprehensive programme of development for principals is planned and enhanced funding has been provided for the teacher fee refund scheme. All these measures are meeting the challenges of the present day, but there is a good deal to be done in a short time. Much of this is happening quickly as matters are changing in society and challenges have to be faced. I want to make it clear that those challenges are being faced by the teaching profession, whose members are participating in a major way.

Deputies suggested that principals, in particular primary principals, have not received sufficient support from my Department, but I cannot accept that. From September 2000, all primary schools entitled to a staffing of a principal plus seven mainstream teachers have been allocated an additional teacher to enable the principal to become an administrative principal and from September 2001, that concession will be extended to schools with a staff of a principal plus six mainstream teachers. That has been widely accepted and applauded by the teacher unions, as it is a major development for principals.

Furthermore, from September 2000, all teaching principals have been allowed a specified number of release days to enable them attend to administrative duties and a substitute teacher may be employed to cover such absences. The number of release days allowed will be reviewed again next year.

Also from September 2000, all primary schools receive funding towards caretaking and secretarial services and further improvements in the levels of funding will be provided over the next number of years. The ability of a school to provide quality education is rooted in the commitment and expertise of the principal and teaching staff.

The introduction of school development planning is designed to enhance the professional role of teachers. It empowers them to contribute to the development of the school. It enables them to exercise a greater degree of ownership over the central issues that influence their work, it provides them with the opportunities for collaborative policy-making and planning and for partici pation in the leadership and management of development. Planning at school level must be followed surely by the provision of a mechanism to allow teachers to plan at a professional level. This Bill will provide that mechanism.

I stress that this Bill is a further step on the road to ensuring that the high standards we have always had in teaching continue and teachers are involved in delivering and developing these standards on a fully professional basis.

Many comments were made by Deputies and I will take them into consideration. We will have an opportunity to discuss them in detail when considering the different facets of the Bill on Committee Stage.

Deputy Bradford asked if the Data Protection Act would apply to the registered names. It will apply to the names, as it applies to all activities in the public sector.

He also talked about the school inspector and the old idea of the fears there were the day the cigire was due to visit the school and he said that was changing. That is an important point. It is changing and it will have to change considerably. In schools we are trying to assist and support managers. The manager and principals of a school play an increasingly important part in the development of the school. The point made by the Deputy is worth noting.

Deputy Brady mentioned taking on board the views of students. I would go along with him on that. I will examine that for Committee Stage. Student councils are doing excellent work and I have witnessed them in operation. They are relatively new and are spreading throughout the system. The Deputy's point that students should be involved in this is a good one and I will consider it for Committee Stage.

Deputy Browne raises questions on a number of areas, including the handling of dyslexia. He was concerned that the number on the council was too great. That is one of the difficulties of having a broadly representative council. Those involved in the steering group that has led to this Bill felt strongly that the various groups must be involved. That is the reality of the situation. With regard to the handing of dyslexia, I assure the Deputy it is a matter to which I am giving priority as I said I would.

Deputy Kenny made a wide-ranging contribution and raised a number of points. While I have replied to some of them, given the time available, I will not be able to reply to all of them. I assure him that I will consider them. He talked about the need for sabbaticals and pointed to what happens in Canada in that regard, which is an interesting concept. I will seriously consider that.

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. This is fundamental legislation that has been very widely sought by the teaching profession. It gives the profession as a whole at this critical time an opportunity to develop and promote itself, to ensure that promotion is co-ordinated and that the Minister is given the best possible advice on the development of the profession. It has been widely welcomed and I ask Deputies when we come to deal with Committee Stage of the Bill to help me to advance it without undue delay in the interests of the profession.

Dáil Éireann debate -
Friday, 15 Dec 2000