Teaching Qualifications

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Questions (463)

John Connolly

Question:

463. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 18 February 2025, the precise criteria that must be met in practice, particularly for teachers with experience in private international schools outside the EU (details supplied); the exact criteria, weightings and decision making methodology used by her Department in assessing such applications; if any internal guidelines, thresholds or scoring frameworks are applied by officials given many teachers require clarity on their likely eligibility for incremental credit award prior to taking up positions at home in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45405/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

As set out on the 18 February 2025 the criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. Teachers are advised to refer to those circulars for the specific criteria in advance of accepting a teaching post overseas.

Where a school satisfies the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit, an award of incremental credit can be made.

In relation to private teaching service outside of the EU for Post-Primary teachers, Section 6 of Circular 29/2007 sets out the criteria for Teaching Service in Non-EU Countries.

Section 6 requires that this service be equivalent to approved teaching service and part of the incremental credit application form requires the prior employer to certify if their school is publicly or privately funded.

There are no specific weightings, thresholds or scoring frameworks applied in determining a teacher's eligibility for an award of incremental credit beyond the criteria set out in the Circulars.