1138. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the 200 hours teaching practice to qualify for Droichead completion must be completed within a single academic year. [55135/26]

The Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation and registration of the teaching profession in Ireland, including the Droichead registration condition. This is provided for under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015.

Droichead is an integrated professional induction framework for newly qualified teachers (NQTs). This integrated framework includes both school- based induction and additional professional learning activities to support teachers as they begin their careers.

Droichead plays a central role in the continuum of teacher education, supporting teachers as they transition from initial teacher education into the teaching profession.

Droicheads main objective is to support the professional learning of NQTs during the induction phase, thus laying the foundations for subsequent professional growth and learning for the next phase of their career. All teachers must complete the Droichead process in full. The Teaching Council endeavours to apply the process equally and transparently to all NQTs.

The framework is designed to provide the maximum degree of support, guidance, and advice for NQTs, and sets out minimum periods of practice during which the process must take place. Post-primary teachers must complete a minimum of 200 hours’ teaching employment in an eligible setting within one academic year. Further guidance on this is provided on the Teaching Council website.

A review of the Droichead policy was recently carried out by the Teaching Council, and this involved feedback and engagement from a number of stakeholders. Details of the policy review can be found on the Teaching Council website on the following webpage.

www.teachingcouncil.ie/news/updated-droichead-policy-published-following-comprehensive-review/