Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 March 2022
86. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education when the Teaching Council will implement the lifting of the five day rule for payment of student teachers order to accommodate student teachers in receiving full pay if they are covering absences in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15116/22]
View answerAs recently announced, the Teaching Council is now working to put processes and procedures in place to support the registration and vetting of 3rd and 4th year student teachers. In addition, pending the development of those processes and procedures by the Teaching Council, the Department of Education has made a temporary amendment to Regulation 7 of the Education Act 1998 (Unregistered Persons) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 32 of 2014) permits payment for periods of more than 5 consecutive school days to 3rd and 4th year student teachers. These 3rd and 4th year student teachers must satisfy the criteria to be eligible to apply to the Teaching Council for registration, pursuant to Route 5 of the Schedule to the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2016 (S. I. No. 444 of 2016) (amended by the Teaching Council (Registration) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 745 of 2021)).
Please note that this temporary amendment to statute is strictly time limited, as its effect is from 15th February 2022 and expires on 30th June 2022. The “5-day rule” remains in place for the employment of all other unregistered persons as per S.I. No. 32 of 2014.
