554. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the case of a teacher (details supplied); and if she will outline the measures being considered to retain experienced teachers in the profession, particularly in rural schools, amid the ongoing teacher shortage. [64979/26]

The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015

(www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2001/act/8/enacted/en/html)

and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2025

(www.teachingcouncil.ie/assets/uploads/2025/10/SI.2025.0482_TC_Registration_Regulations.pdf).

As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration: Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The qualification requirements for each route are set down in the Schedule.

Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. My Department has no role in the registration of individual teachers.

The Council holds its accredited programmes and teachers to high standards and to protect the integrity of the register, all those who qualify are held to the same standards. It is a matter for the Teaching Council that this is applied equally to all applicants.

It is the Council’s responsibility to ensure that all teachers entering the profession in Ireland have met the required standards. These standards have been established following extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, research, and in accordance with Department of Education and Youth's policies and priorities and developed over a number of years.

In relation to the requirement for special education teachers to hold qualifications in Irish, the Department sets the minimum entry requirements for Irish, English and Mathematics for entry to primary ITE programmes.

This is to ensure that primary teachers have the capacity to lead learning in these subjects which are considered as core curricular areas and particularly important in terms of supporting the development of literacy and numeracy amongst students in schools.

As the first official language in Ireland, and for fundamental cultural and historical reasons which are inextricably linked to Irish identity, the study of the Irish language is a key aspect of the learning experiences that are considered appropriate for students in recognised schools in Ireland.

For these reasons, Irish is a core subject in the curriculum determined by the Minister for recognised Irish schools. The Dpartment-established primary curriculum includes Irish as a core component and as such it is necessary to have a certain standard of Irish.

That is the expectation in all educational settings, including SEN settings, and schools are expected and encouraged to provide all students, to the greatest extent possible and in a meaningful way, with opportunities to participate in Irish language and cultural activities at a level appropriate to their learning needs. To enable teachers to do this, Special Needs Assistants are available to provide for additional personal care and support needs that may arise.

The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 (www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2004/act/30/enacted/en/html) provides that people with special educational needs are educated in an inclusive environment, as far as possible and have the same right to access and benefit from education as children who don’t have these needs.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circular 44/2019 and Circular 31/2011, which are available on the Department’s website under gov.ie - Department of Education (www.gov.ie), schools are required to employ appropriately qualified teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired. These measures were taken in an effort to increase employment opportunities for unemployed teachers.

The person referred to holds registration with the Teaching Council under Route 3, Further Education.

Teachers are qualified and registered on the basis that they will be equipped to teach in more than one school throughout their careers, and the routes of registration based on the relevant school levels overall (i.e. primary, post-primary etc.) reflect this.

I am committed to ensuring that all teachers, at primary and post-primary level, have the skills they need to support the diverse needs of all our children and young people in our schools. It is critical that our teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to continue to deliver high quality and inclusive education.

The Teaching Council is independent in its registration function and neither I nor my Department have any role is this regard.