My Department will spend approximately €44 million on teacher CPD in 2014, including salary and substitution costs across the primary and post primary sectors. The teacher CPD budget represents 0.76% of my Department's overall budget for first and second level - almost 6% when salary and pension costs are excluded. The programme of CPD provided addresses a range of priorities such as facilitating the implementation of new and revised syllabi, new programmes and other changes in schools designed to increase the relevance of programmes, promote retention of students, update knowledge, develop school management expertise, meet special educational and learning support needs and support the development of educational and vocational guidance. Some of the main areas of committed expenditure are the Professional Development Service for Teachers, an Induction Programme for Newly Qualified Teachers, Health and Wellbeing, Special Education Support Service, Junior Cycle Reform and Project Maths. Other areas of expenditure include the Child Abuse Prevention Programme (Stay Safe), Boards of Management Training, Teacher Fee Refund Scheme, Teacher Professional Networks, the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and a number of post graduate programmes. The Teaching Council intends to develop a national framework for CPD and has begun preparation for this work.
