1115. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the minimum of 200 hours' teaching employment required of post-primary teachers to complete the Droichead induction process may be aggregated across more than one school and across more than one school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59995/26]

1116. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will engage with the Teaching Council on the introduction of a job-share or part-time pathway for post-primary teachers, equivalent to that available to primary teachers, who may complete the Droichead induction process on a job-share contract or on a part-time contract of no less than 12.5 hours for the duration of the academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60002/26]

1118. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the interim arrangements available to post-primary teachers who are unable to complete the Droichead induction process under the policy as currently published and who will remain registered with conditions pending the commencement of the revised Droichead Policy on 1 September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60015/26]

1119. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the Droichead policy has been equality proofed under the public sector equality and human rights duty in respect of its impact on teachers with caregiving responsibilities, including parents of children with additional needs; the specific accommodations available to such teachers; the metrics in place to monitor whether they are disadvantaged in completing induction and registration requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60018/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1115, 1116, 1118 and 1119 together.

Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015, 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.

The Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2025, made via Statutory Instrument 482/2025, outline the responsibility of the Teaching Council in discharging the Droichead function, as follows:

“post-qualification professional practice” means a period of post qualification practice, which meets the Council’s requirements in terms of the procedures it has set down in relation to the induction of teachers into the teaching profession;

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. It 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.

All newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who meet the requirements for registration are registered with a condition that they must complete Droichead and they are given a period of three years to address the condition. If they have not addressed this registration condition within the three-year period, they can apply for an extension of time to meet the condition. Extensions are granted at the discretion of the Council. Further detail on extension requests is available on the Teaching Council website.

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.

If a post-primary teacher has a part-time / short term contract, they may be eligible to apply for Droichead, once they can guarantee that they will complete a minimum of 200 hours’ teaching employment in an eligible setting from the date they apply for Droichead in a post-primary school to the end of the academic year.

A review of the Droichead policy was recently carried out by the Teaching Council, and this involved feedback and engagement from a wide range 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/.

The revised Droichead framework came into effect on 1 September 2026.