Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 April 2026
1385. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount that has been allocated for the years 2020 to 2025 on continuous professional development for teachers in schools across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25268/26]
View answerMy Department views teacher education as a continuum from initial teacher education to induction and ongoing professional learning.
The Department promotes the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of quality initial teacher education programmes, professional learning experiences (PLE) and other support for school leaders and teachers. This is achieved through the teacher education programmes, Education Support Centres and Oide – the department funded teacher professional development support service, (and its predecessor support services prior to Oide’s establishment in 2023).
The volume and nature of professional learning provision in any academic year is dependent upon needs identified in relation to curricular reform, implementation of priority educational policies/strategies, and the target cohorts of teachers involved.
In the development of professional learning experiences (PLE), Oide works across its divisions throughout the scoping, research, design and quality assurance phases of all material – Oide divisions include Leadership, Digital Technology, Primary, Post-Primary and GaelAonad. There is strong consultation with education professionals across the sectors to ensure that content and delivery meet the needs of teachers and school leaders. Oide's teacher professional learning activities involve the provision of bespoke learning experiences for diverse audiences within schools - for example the introduction of the Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) and Primary curriculum specifications along with the introduction of professional learning to support the redevelopment of the senior cycle.
The programme of support for the Primary Curriculum Framework will last for at least 6 years and the support commenced in term 3 of the 2024/2025 school year.
In addition to Oide, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will offer professional learning for teachers and school leaders in special schools. Oide and NCSE work closely together to ensure coherence across the content for professional learning in both contexts.
A broad typology of professional learning experiences is offered for teachers and school leaders including in person facilitated training facilitated through whole-school closure days, sustained in-school support and supplementary online supports.
In relation to the reform of Senior Cycle, a comprehensive four-year professional learning framework has been established to support each redeveloped senior cycle subject. This ensures that teacher professional learning (TPL) begins one year prior to the introduction of the new subject specification.
The second year of TPL centres on supporting teachers with the implementation of the redeveloped curriculum specification, with a particular emphasis on the Additional Assessment Component (AAC). Years three and four continue to focus on the implementation and embedding of the redeveloped specification.
My Department has invested extensively in the professional development of our teaching staff. As well as direct programme delivery, running and administration costs, the below yearly figures include the pay cost of seconded teacher educators to teacher education support services and funding for substitute teacher cover in schools, where deemed appropriate. Given the integrated nature of design, development and product of PLE offered by Oide and other providers, it is not possible to completely disaggregate the individual costs associated with curriculum changes, digital skills, teaching methods, and leadership.
|
Year |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Total |
€50m |
€58m |
€65m |
€75m |
€95m |
This funding also enabled Education Support Centres to facilitate Oide's national PLE programmes and to address the professional development needs of teachers in their local catchment area, and a range of other external groups to provide PLE, such as through the Teacher Professional Network (TPN) funding scheme and Teacher Fee Refund Scheme. The Education Support Centres also facilitate peer support through communities of practice.
In addition to the funding mentioned above, other post-graduate programmes are offered to teachers. These include:
A new post graduate programme to upskill post-primary teachers who teach Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). This programme, provided by Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education, provides a pathway for progression for post-primary teachers interested in developing their skills in teaching SPHE/RSE and in so doing build capacity and leadership within the teaching profession in relation to SPHE/RSE.
On 2 February 2023, the first cohort of 34 post-primary teachers commenced the programme with the final on-campus sessions taking place in January 2024 while on 1 February 2024, the second cohort of 45 post-primary teachers commenced the programme. One participant subsequently withdrew, with 44 completing the programme. A third cohort of 28 post-primary teachers commenced the programme on 13 February 2025, one participant withdrew, with 27 completing the programme. A fourth cohort of 33 post-primary teachers commenced the programme in January 2026.
Upskilling programmes are provided over two years on a part-time basis free to post-primary teachers. These programmes are aimed at increasing the number of qualified teachers in high-demand subjects and reducing out-of-field teaching.
My Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) issued a funding call in 2019 to initial teacher education (ITE) providers for upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish. Following the successful completion of the funding call, these programmes commenced in January 2021. Over 900 teachers have completed or were in the process of completing these existing programmes at the end of 2025.
Budgets 2024 and 2025 included the expansion of upskilling programmes. New programmes in Irish, French, politics & society, and computer science commenced in 2025 with over 180 teachers and complement existing programmes in maths, physics, and Spanish. These flexible programmes boost teachers’ employment opportunities while addressing subject-specific teacher shortages. In addition, my Department provides funding for post-primary teachers of French to attend TPL training during the summer.
On an annual basis, my department provides funding for two distinct categories of post-graduate programmes for Special Education Teachers -
• Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Teacher Professional Learning for Special Education Teachers (295 places)
• Graduate Certificate in Autism Education for teachers working with Autistic Pupils in Special Schools, Special Classes or as Special Education Teachers in mainstream Primary and Post-Primary Schools (18 places)
Funding has been provided under the Policy on Gaeltacht Education for a blended-Learning M.Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta (M.Ed. in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education). For students commencing the programme between 2018 and 2022, this course was provided by Mary Immaculate College. The contract for the continued provision of the M.Oid. was awarded to Trinity College Dublin in March 2023 and that course commenced in September 2023. 45 students are enrolled in this programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.
My Department supports continuous professional development through the services provided by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
As part of the NEPS service, psychologists work with schools to build the capacity of school communities, including school leaders, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). This includes the provision professional learning opportunities such as training in the delivery of evidence-informed approaches and early intervention.
My Department also supports PLE with specific areas of focus provided by agencies such as the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which also have a remit to provide educational supports to schools as part of their work. The cost of these programmes is not included in the above figures.
