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Teacher Recruitment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 February 2019

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Questions (82)

Robert Troy

Question:

82. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to address teaching shortages across the primary school sector; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the temporary replacement panel to recruit short-term replacements is perceived to be completely inadequate and does not provide a level of cover to wide areas nationally; and the steps he would advise a school principal to take in circumstances in which a temporary replacement teacher cannot be provided or located. [9937/19]

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Written answers

Management bodies and schools have, in recent years, reported difficulties in recruiting teachers. At primary level this relates mainly to the recruitment of substitute teachers and at post-primary level to the recruitment of teachers of certain subjects.

In response to these difficulties, the Teacher Supply Steering Group, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, was established in March of last year.

The Steering Group is considering the issues that impact on teacher supply under four policy headings: initial teacher education policy, provision, funding and support; data/research requirements; policies and arrangements for schools and teachers that impact on teacher mobility/supply; and promotion of the teaching profession. The Steering Group is supported by a number of working groups which are looking in detail at the issues under these broad headings. In undertaking its task, the Group is cognisant of the requirement that all persons wishing to teach in recognised schools must meet the professional registration standards and criteria set by the Teaching Council, which is the professional regulatory body for the teaching profession.

The Deputy will be aware that In November 2018, I published the Action Plan for Teacher Supply setting out actions in the four policy areas. Actions include:

- The identification of data to support the analysis of teacher supply and demand.

- In December 2018, a national campaign to promote the teaching profession was launched across a number of platforms, including radio and digital media, supported by a new ‘Teaching Transforms’ webpage providing information about teaching as a career.

- The development of an online teacher and substitute teacher recruitment portal is being explored

- The Teaching Council is undertaking a review of the implementation of the guidelines for student teacher school placements.

- In the current academic year, an additional €1m has been allocated to the Student Assistance Fund for Professional Master of Education students, increasing the overall fund to €10.1m.

- For the 2018/19 school year the restrictions on the employment of teachers on career break were suspended.

- The Teaching Council is developing more streamlined processes for the registration of teachers qualified in jurisdictions outside the State.

In addition, following from the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022:

- Marino Institute of Education will, from 2019, provide a 4-year Irish-medium B Ed for primary teachers.

- An Irish-medium Masters in Education for primary and post-primary teachers, including principals, commenced in September 2018 in Mary Immaculate College.

There is currently no temporary replacement panel to recruit short term replacement teachers. However, the Deputy may wish to note that, following from the Action Plan for Teacher Supply, the Department is currently undertaking an analysis of the potential for a supply panel scheme for primary schools.

It is my Department's policy that only qualified personnel should be employed by schools as teachers. Unqualified personnel should not be appointed except in exceptional circumstances and only when all avenues for recruiting qualified personnel have been exhausted and only for quite limited time periods. Circular 0031/2011 issued by my Department details a cascade of measures for the recruitment of teachers by schools, prioritising registered teachers over retired registered teachers and unregistered people.

Other than the limited exceptions under Ministerial Regulations, Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001, prohibits payment from Oireachtas funds to people employed as teachers in recognised schools unless they are registered with the teaching Council. The limited exceptions provided for in the regulations allow for an unregistered person to be appointed where an employer has made all reasonable efforts to appoint a registered teacher and no registered teacher is available to take up the position in question. An unregistered person, so appointed, may not be paid from public funds for a continuous period of more than 5 consecutive school days. The employer must be satisfied that any such person appointed is competent and capable of acting in the place of a registered teacher in the school. The employer must also continue to make all reasonable efforts to employ a registered teacher.

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