Teaching Council of Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

Ceisteanna (537)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Ceist:

537. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the requirement for graduate teachers to travel to the country of the language that they teach for a period of time and to be signed off by a native speaker in order to be registered with the Teaching Council to teach the subject; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the Teaching Council is still advising graduate teachers of the need to travel to obtain this qualification; if she will consider a waiver, postponement or deferral of this policy in view of the global Covid-19 pandemic and the demand for language teachers; and if she will produce a report on the issue. [18934/20]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Teaching Council sets the subject criteria for all teachers registering under Route 2 Post-primary. All newly qualified teachers (NQTs) of modern foreign languages and Gaeilge are required to meet a residency requirement in order to register with the Council. Generally this residency constitutes a period of time in a country where the language is spoken or the Gaeltacht in the case of the Irish language.

The Teaching Council have informed me that this year in recognition that travel is not currently possible, they have put in place a provision to allow graduate teachers of languages including Gaeilge, to register with the Council in instances where they are not able to fully meet the residency requirement. This provision takes the form of a reduction in the overall duration of the residency. In addition should a graduate teacher still not be able to meet this reduced period, registration with conditions will be offered. This will allow graduate teachers of languages including Gaeilge to register and if necessary fulfil the residency at a date in the future.