Written Answers Nos. 324-325
324. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider the establishment of a new Gaelcholáiste in west Cork to meet the growing need outlined by the community (details supplied). [50683/26]
View answerThe Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, includes a commitment to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand and support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level nationally.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth.
In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure must be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
As the Deputy is aware, - and by way of information -, parental preferences from the primary school survey have now been published and this provides a comprehensive evidence base to underpin decision-making on the level of demand for Irish medium provision. The survey will also provide a useful guide to inform both future primary and post-primary provision.
Finally, my department is fully committed to supporting Irish medium provision and has invested over €500m over the last 6 years in building new school buildings and modernising existing facilities for Irish medium schools across the country. My department will continue to support Irish medium provision as part of NDP rollout during the 2026 to 2030 period.
325. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an application for registration through the Teaching Council will be reviewed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50734/26]
View answerUnder 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.
The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 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 of the Regulations.
As a statutory body, the Teaching Council is mandated by law to properly determine and to authenticate the relevant standards and qualifications of all applicants for registration, including those who have qualified outside of Ireland. My department has no role in this process.
All applications from fully qualified teachers who gained their teaching qualifications outside of Ireland are processed in line with the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
In this instance the person referred to by the Deputy pursued the timebound provision in the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2025 through which teachers who qualified in another country, but have not completed the necessary professional induction there, to register with the Teaching Council (in certain limited circumstances) and to complete induction here in the Republic of Ireland. To be eligible to apply for registration under the Timebound Provision under Route 1 (Primary) or Route 2 (Post-primary), an applicant must meet two eligibility requirements:
1. Evidence of Registration.
They must have a qualification which entitles them to teach in the country of award, save for the fact that they have not completed induction there.
2. Teacher Education Qualification.
Primary (4-12) – They must have a primary initial teacher education qualification awarded by a provider from outside of the ROI, which is assessed by the Teaching Council as equivalent to Irish standards, with the exception of the Irish Language Requirement (ILR). The ILR will be applied as a condition of on their registration.
OR
Post-primary (12-18)- they must have a post-primary initial teacher education qualification awarded by a provider outside of the ROI, which is assessed by the Teaching Council as equivalent to Irish standards, except for the History and Structure of the Irish Education System requirement (H&S) and meet the curricular subject requirements for at least one post-primary subject. The H&S will be applied as a condition of their registration.
They must have studied one of the curricular subjects. Please see the list of approved Curricular Subjects Requirements (www.teachingcouncil.ie/assets/uploads/2024/08/curricular-subject-requirements-post-primary-from-1-jan-2023.pdf). It is expected that they will meet the curricular subject requirements for at least one post-primary subject. If there are minor shortfalls in the curricular subject requirements, there may be conditions attached to their registration to address this.
If an applicant does not meet the above two eligibility requirements above, their application will be deemed ineligible and outside of the scope of the Timebound Provision. Please note that if an applicant is deemed not eligible for registration under the Timebound Provision, they should complete induction or the required post qualification training in the country in which they obtained their teacher education qualification and reapply through the standard process to register with the Teaching Council.
In this instance the person referred to by the Deputy does not meet the eligibility criteria applying to the Timebound provision path to registration, and the applicant was notified of this decision by the Teaching Council.
The Recognition Department at the Teaching Council can provide more specific detail directly to the Deputy if requested.
