Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
429. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education if a non-EU/EEA citizen, qualified as a primary teacher (details supplied) can teach in Ireland without having Irish; if not, what mechanisms are open to this person to teach primary school children in Ireland; what training will need to be undertaken to teach in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14038/24]
View answerThe Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. The Council registers teachers under five routes of registration namely, Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The minimum registration requirements for each route are set out in the Schedule of the Regulations.
It is a requirement for teachers to hold the appropriate route of registration with the Teaching Council in order to be paid a salary by the State. Fully qualified teachers who have qualified outside of the Republic of Ireland are eligible to apply for registration with the Teaching Council.
As a statutory professional standards body, the Teaching Council is required by law to properly determine and to authenticate the relevant standards and qualifications of all applicants for registration. One of the ways the Council ensures and regulates standards is by ensuring that all teachers entering the profession in the Republic of Ireland have met the required standards. It operates in accordance with the EU Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EU as amended).
A person deemed to be a fully qualified teacher has completed a recognised teacher education qualification and any required programme of induction in the country in which they qualified and can provide an official letter from the relevant teacher registration body/teacher licencing body/Competent Authority or Ministry of Education confirming recognition as a fully qualified teacher in the State/ country.
Persons completing teacher education qualifications outside the State and seeking to register with the Teaching Council must have their qualifications assessed to determine that they are comparable to accredited qualifications in Ireland.
The Primary Curriculum established by this Department includes Irish as a core component and it is necessary to have a certain standard of Irish. Where an applicant for registration as a primary teacher has completed a programme of teacher education outside of Ireland, an Irish Language Requirement (ILR) condition normally applies to their registration. In order to address this condition, the teacher can either complete an Aptitude Test (SCG – An Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge) or an Adaptation Period (OCG – Oiriúnú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge), which confirms the applicant's competence to teach the Irish language as well as a range of primary school curricular subjects through the medium of Irish. Both the SCG (Aptitude Test) and OCG (Adaptation Period) are administered by Marino Institute of Education. Conditional registration is granted to those in the process of completing this requirement.
Upon initial registration a teacher is usually granted a period of three years to complete this condition. Should a teacher not address this condition within this timeframe the teacher may apply for an extension of time, this is in line with S32 of the Teaching Council Acts. Extension requests are granted at the discretion of the Council and are usually granted for a period of one year.
I would encourage the person that the Deputy is referring to to liaise with the Teaching Council and to follow their advice in relation to this matter.
