Written Answers Nos. 204-223
204. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department tracks the number of children living in emergency homeless accommodation who have missed school days or changed schools mid-year; the supports that are in place for educational continuity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36698/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to fulfil their full potential in life is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth, and for the Government.
Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison scheme and the School Completion Programme. The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, parents and guardians and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people.
TESS employs a dedicated Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) to work with families who are living in homeless accommodation. The EWO supports families in emergency accommodation with the continuity of their child’s education through supporting attendance where children are enrolled in schools and securing school places where children move and cannot access their previous school.
The EWO links closely with colleagues in TESS to access assistance regarding areas where families are moving to and where educational placements are required. They also work in partnership with local services and nongovernmental organisations to ensure appropriate supports for homeless families are in place for example access to uniforms, transport etc.
The EWO works as a point of contact for family homelessness accommodation providers and other services regarding accessing school places and school attendance-related issues. They work in collaboration with Dublin Region Homeless Executive to share expertise and minimise the disruption to children’s educational welfare. They also offer advice and guidance to schools regarding attendance concerns and making referrals in respect of children living in emergency accommodation.
Service providers, schools or families themselves can make direct referrals to this service.
TESS does not track or extrapolate reported absences from school by housing status. Schools provide Annual Attendance Data for the general school population for their school on a yearly basis.
205. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of secondary school students who do not have access to a personal digital device at home. [36700/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Education and Youth, does not gather data on access to or the use of personal digital devices by post-primary students as this is outside of the remit that the department has in this regard.
Under the Education Act, the Boards of Management of Schools have responsibility for the day to day management of schools. Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is therefore a matter for the Board of Management of each school in the context of their digital learning planning. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents when planning for the introduction of digital technologies including devices with cost and other implications being fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made.
Schools, in conjunction with parents, are responsible for decisions on the use of digital technology, including tablet devices, laptops, and learning platforms, and how best to manage their integration into classroom practice reflective of their own context and requirements.
The Digital Strategy for Schools 2027, which builds on the progress made under the previous Digital Strategy, is underpinned by an investment of some €200m included in the National Development Plan 2021-2030 providing continuity of funding following the €210m that issued to schools to support the previous strategy. To date, €135m in ICT Grant funding under the Digital Strategy to 2027 has issued to schools from the NDP commitment, including €35m recently announced to issue to schools under the Digital Strategy.
This funding issues directly to schools as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in accordance with their digital learning planning. This can include the purchase of ICT devices such as tablets, hybrid devices, or laptops, and the implementation of loan schemes for same if needed.
Additionally, I recently announced that the funding scheme for post-primary schools in the free education scheme to procure an appropriate phone storage solution to implement the ban on mobile phone usage by students during the school day, is now open for applications. Schools have discretion as to whether their policy will be enabled through a secure mobile phone storage solution, and where a solution is to be used, can apply for funding to procure the solution that best suits their context and requirements. As outlined in the funding circular (0046/2025), such expenditure must be in line with procurement and financial requirements for public funds. This was announced in October 2024 for Budget 2025.
This funding is intended to support positive wellbeing among all pupils and students, helping them to disconnect, learn and engage with their peers without the distractions that can arise from the use of mobile phones.
206. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools in DEIS band 1 areas that currently have waiting lists for junior infants; and the plans in place to increase capacity in areas with growing school age populations. [36705/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority of mine.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects and with construction currently underway in over 325 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 325 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.7bn.
As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
While my Department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications.
• School of choice.
• Single sex schools.
• External draw.
Notwithstanding the above, in some areas demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their Admissions legislation. Enrolment data for previous school years is available on the Department website. Provisional enrolment data for the 2024/25 school year is available on the Departments website at www.gov.ie.
The Educational Welfare Services of the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The local service is delivered through the national network of Educational Welfare Officers. Contact details are available on Tusla’s website.
My Department will continue to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of their County Development Plans and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.
207. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of qualified teachers working in non-teaching posts in her Department, for example, in the inspectorate. [36709/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMany staff of the department have qualifications in a wide range of areas, including in teaching for example, however these may not necessarily have been an eligibility requirement for the posts to which they were assigned within the department. There are, however,146 Inspectors who are typically former teachers with experience in the school system currently working in non-teaching posts in the Department of Education and Youth. My department does not maintain a central register of the qualifications of staff members. Where specific qualifications form part of the eligibility criteria for particular posts, publicjobs conduct pre-employment checks, including qualification verification as required.
208. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure a child (details supplied) is allocated an SNA as recommended by separate assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36713/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs, including the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs). The NCSE has advised my department that all schools have been informed of their SNA allocation for the 2025/26 school year.
As the NCSE is responsible for the allocation of SNAs to schools, I have forwarded the school's details to them for their attention and direct reply.
Deputies are also welcome to raise such matters with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie.
It is open to any school which feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students to submit to the NCSE a request seeking a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
209. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who have been in receipt of the July provision for each county for each of the past five years; and if she will ensure that the necessary resources are put in place so that children can receive July provision as is necessary. [36716/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of the 2025 Summer Programme were published on the 13th of February 2024. For this year’s programme, funding of €62 million was secured in Budget 2025 to ensure its continuance. Between 2021 to 2024, €40 million in funding had been allocated each year to the Summer Programme. The level of funding this year represents a 55% increase on the funding previously provided and all of this funding will be utilised to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.
All schools have an opportunity to run a programme for those children who need it the most. These children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.
The main priority again in 2025 is ensuring that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.
Since 2019, the Summer Programme has gone from strength to strength. In 2024, over 1,600 schools and more than 59,000 children took part in the Summer Programme. This is compared to the more than 300 schools and 13,000 children who took part in 2019. In 2025, over 1,800 schools have registered to run more than 2,000 individual summer programme schemes. It is anticipated that the number of children taking part in these schools will be even higher again this year, continuing the positive upward trend in participation seen in previous years.
The Summer Programme is reliant on schools and their staff choosing to participate on a voluntary basis. To encourage schools to run a Summer Programme, a range of supports and measures have been introduced. For special schools, these include a bespoke pilot programme, a national coordinator, a shorter school day and additional grant funding. For all schools, supports include key leadership roles, higher personal rate of pay for staff, enhanced capitation, a transport grant and earlier staff payments.
This year, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Education have partnered together in a pilot project designed to combat holiday hunger. Schools who are eligible to avail of the School Meal Programme during school term will be able to make meals available during this year's Summer Programme. This will help to alleviate the costs for schools associated with running a Summer Programme and for parents. It will also be in addition to the other supports and measures already in place.
All the supports and incentives introduced, both in 2025 and in previous years, have been developed and designed to increase participation by allowing all schools (Primary, Special and Post Primary) to provide the Summer Programme. These measures are aimed at maximising the number of children who can participate in a school-based programme with a specific focus on ensuring children with the most complex needs receive the targeted support.
Despite these measures and incentives, it is a matter for schools to decide if they wish to run a school-based programme. Where a school-based programme is not being run or a place is unavailable, the Home-based Programme will be available for those children with complex special education needs.
The information sought by the Deputy in relation to participation rates on a county by county basis is not available as details of each child's county are not collated. However the overall participation figures are as follows.
|
Year |
Number of Children availing of Summer Programme |
|
2021 |
37,977 |
|
2022 |
42,011 |
|
2023 |
51,232 |
|
2024 |
59,338 |
|
2025 |
Final participation figure will only be available after all summer programmes have concluded. |
210. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Youth to review a bus ticket for a child (details supplied) due to exceptional circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36727/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport as they are attending their 4th nearest school. Bus Éireann has further advised that there is no existing service from where this pupil resides to their school of attendance.
211. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will reintroduce the route for people who undertook an early childhood care bachelor degree to attend a postgraduate course in St. Nicholas Montessori college (previously offered a route 4 pathway to Teaching Council recognition) and extend this to other colleges. [36742/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. There are five routes of registration, the minimum registration requirements for each route are set out in the Schedule of the Regulations.
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.
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 policies and priorities and developed over a number of years.
The St. Nicholas Montessori College degree in Montessori Education had long-standing recognition with the Department of Education (DE) and was subsequently amalgamated into the Council’s Registration Regulations under Route 4. Since the making of the 2016 Regulations and the development of registration regulations, standards for initial teacher education and accreditation of programmes of initial teacher education, the phasing out of recognition for the Montessori qualification under Route 4 has been implemented.
Route 4 formerly provided for applicants who had obtained the level 8 Bachelor of Education in Montessori Education from St Nicholas Montessori College, which was commenced on or before 1 October 2018 and completed on or before 31 December 2023, to apply for registration up until 31 December 2023. This provision which was subject to extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders is now closed.
It had been known that this was being phased out with a clear timeframe for same, which outlines that the qualification was only acceptable for registration under Route 4 Other where the application was made on or before 31 December 2023.
All initial teacher education programmes in Ireland that lead to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council. The course being referred to in this query, was not a course of primary initial teacher education. At the time, St Nicholas’s did not seek to offer any other course of primary initial education.
The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 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 Teaching Council has published Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education, which set out the requirements which all programmes of qualification for teaching in Ireland must meet in order to gain accreditation from the Teaching Council. It is also a benchmark for anybody seeking to register as a teacher in Ireland.
Céim includes core elements that ITE programmes must contain, including Inclusive Education: which "includes the fostering of appropriate learning environments, including digital ones, which support the development of student teachers’ ability to provide for the learning needs of all pupils by utilising, for example, a universal design for learning framework." This is intended to provide the foundational competencies teachers will need in order to teach in SEN settings.
There are a number of Graduate and Post-graduate Diplomas in the field of Special Education which are approved by the Department of Education and can be used to add this sector to a teacher’s registration where the teacher also holds an accredited teacher education qualification.
The Teaching Council works within Department policy and central to this policy is that all teachers teaching children with Special Educational Needs should be qualified Primary or Post-Primary teachers in the first instance and may then apply for one of the DE recognised qualifications in Special Educational Needs as outlined in Circular 0044/2019.
212. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports being put in place to help undergraduates to progress from their early childhood education degree to furthering their studies to become a teacher. [36743/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016: www.teachingcouncil.ie/assets/uploads/2023/08/revised-teaching-council-registration-regulations-2016.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 out in the Schedule.
With regard to Route 1 – Primary, the qualification requirements include:
Students who successfully completed an early childhood education degree, Level 8, can then pursue a Professional Master of Education (PME) in Primary Teaching once they meet the minimum entry requirements, which are set by the Minister for Education and Youth, in consultation with the Teaching Council. Information on the PME entry requirements can be accessed through the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/how-to-qualify-as-a-primary-teacher/.
To register as a Further Education teacher under Route 3, the applicant must have both 1 and 2 below.
1. An Honours Bachelor’s Degree at Level 8 or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) which has a ECTS credit weighting of at least 180 credits,
or
An Ordinary Bachelor’s Degree at Level 7 on the NFQ which has a ECTS credit weighting of at least 180 credits and either:
• An appropriate additional qualification, or
• A minimum of three years’ experience in a workplace or instructional setting which is relevant to the qualification(s).
2. A Teaching Council accredited Further Education teacher education qualification (TEQ).
If the applicant has the required degree qualification but have not completed an accredited TEQ, they can be registered with a condition(s) for three years.
In this time, they must complete their TEQ.
It should be noted that Higher Education Institutes can consider previous experience and qualifications through recognition of prior learning (RPL) mechanisms, which can be offset against course requirements and can result in exemptions or credits for certain components of the programmes of study. HEIs have flexibility in how they apply RPL, and in doing so endeavour to align with the requirements of the Teaching Council. The Teaching Council has no role in determining RPL. It may be worthwhile for individual applicants to engage with the relevant HEI to consider if any such accommodations would be of benefit and enable the course of study required to be undertaken.
My Department is committed to examining the needs of the teacher workforce into the future and in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government commitment, I announced the establishment of a Convention on Education during the teacher conferences at Easter. It is hoped to commence the first stages of the process later this year.
This national conversation will inform what changes may be needed to the education landscape to help ensure responsiveness of the system to children and young people’s needs, reflecting on how best to provide for what is working well and to examine what needs to be changed. The teaching workforce and entry routes to the teaching profession will form part of this conversation and outputs from the convention will inform longer term education strategy.
213. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the number of Gaelscoileanna operating within the country, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36748/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra214. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the number of Gaelcholáistí operating within the country, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36749/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra215. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the number of children attending Gaelscoileanna within the country, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36750/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra216. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the number of students attending Gaelcholáistí within the country, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36751/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra217. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the percentage of children attending Gaelscoileanna as a percentage of overall primary school children, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36752/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra218. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the percentage of students attending Gaelcholáistí as a percentage of overall secondary school students, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36753/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 218, inclusive, together.
The requested information is set out at the link below.
Data supplied is for academic year 2023-2024, as this is the latest year we have final enrolment data. We expect to publish final enrolment data for academic year 2024-25 shortly and we will revert to the Deputy with this data when available.
Data was collated from the final enrolments for post-primary and mainstream primary schools for 2023-2024, which can be found at the link below.
Gaelscoileanna are those schools with an Irish classification of "all subjects through Irish" with Gaelcholáistí having an Irish classification of "all pupils taught all subjects through Irish".
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/data-on-individual-schools/
The Programme for Government includes commitments to expand opportunities for students to attend Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí, to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand, and to support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children.
Work is currently underway in my department on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. A comprehensive consultation process was conducted to inform the policy. The department commissioned Sealbhú, a research centre in DCU, to analyse the information gathered through the consultation, and to conduct a review of national and international literature in relation to teaching through the medium of minority languages.
Officials in my department are drawing on the insights gained from this consultation process, and from the research in developing the new policy. The information gleaned from the consultation is being considered in light of existing provision for Irish-medium education, the estimated demand in the education system, as well as issues relating to teacher supply and the department’s budgetary and legislative context.
A task force is due to be established as an action under this policy to explore the various models of Irish-medium education provision that exist, and to facilitate collaboration between the department and key stakeholders in re-conceptualising the current models of provision, if necessary. Consideration of teacher supply for Irish-medium education will also be a crucial factor in the work of the task force and in the provision of high-quality education in the sector.
I expect to receive a draft of the policy in the coming months for my review. If I am satisfied with the draft received, it is intended that the policy will be published in autumn 2025.
219. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any of the 399 new special education classes that were sanctioned for the coming school year have had their sanctioning withdrawn; and if so, the number. [36754/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now just over 28,000 students enrolled in special classes and special schools. 2,700 new places are being created in 2025 and these, together with the over 1,200 existing places which will become available due to children and young people moving on from primary schools and post primary schools, will mean that there is close to 4,000 places available for the coming school year. The NCSE has engaged in a process with parents and schools to identify children requiring a place for the 2025/26 school year and the 3,900 places available should meet the need that exists.
The NCSE has sanctioned 399 of the 400 new special classes for the 2025/26 school year. As Minister, I have also directed a school in Kildare to open 2 new special classes under Section 37A. The NCSE is confident that this new provision when added to the existing provision will meet the known demand for the 2025/26 school year.
The NCSE advise that a very small number of these new special classes sanctioned may not now proceed, particularly where the expected level of need has not materialised. The NCSE have moved to sanction additional special classes in other schools where there is happening to ensure that there will continue to be 400 new special classes available nationwide. The NCSE are working through the final details on these arrangements at present.
Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
220. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the NCSE has any role in the admission of children into a school or if the admission of a child into a school is exclusively a matter for the school in accordance with its admissions policy. [36755/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
Under the provisions of this act, all schools are required to have admissions policies which have been approved by the patron following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the student should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some students not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Placements in special education settings should be reviewed by schools, in consultation with parents, on an ongoing basis. My department is completing work on revised guidelines for schools on the review of special education placements.
Where a child or young person is moving from one special education setting to another, or from a special education setting to a mainstream setting and vice versa the NCSE at a local level is available to support this transition. Regard would need to be given to the relevant admission policies, admission process and waiting lists for the schools involved.
The enrolment of a student in a special class should be kept under continual review by the school, this is in recognition that a student’s learning needs may change over time. At a minimum, a review should take place once a year and include a careful examination of the student’s progress in achieving their learning targets. This ensures a student is continually being supported to meet their full potential in a setting that best meets their learning needs. At any stage where a student requires placement in a special educational setting the NCSE is available to support and advise on this transition.
Under Section 67 of the Education Act, the NCSE have the statutory power to direct a school to enrol a particular child or young person with special educational needs. A number of factors have to be considered, as set out in the legislation, before the NCSE can use this statutory. The NCSE must also engage with the school. The power has been used by the NCSE in instances where a school have capacity but are refusing to enrol a particular child or young person or where a school is not progressing with admissions processes for new special classes.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
221. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a pathway exists for graduates of a course (details supplied) to receive a Teaching Council number; whether route 4 continues to exist for level 8 graduates; and if there is an alternative to completing a master’s degree for qualification. [36763/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. 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, 2016, www.teachingcouncil.ie/assets/uploads/2023/08/revised-teaching-council-registration-regulations-2016.pdf. There are five routes of registration, the minimum registration requirements for each route are set out in the Schedule of the Regulations.
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.
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 policies and priorities and developed over a number of years.
The St. Nicholas Montessori College degree in Montessori Education had long-standing recognition with the Department of Education (DE) and was subsequently amalgamated into the Council’s Registration Regulations under Route 4. Since the making of the 2016 Regulations and the development of registration regulations, standards for initial teacher education and accreditation of programmes of initial teacher education, the phasing out of recognition for the Montessori qualification under Route 4 has been implemented.
Route 4 formerly provided for applicants who had obtained the level 8 Bachelor of Education in Montessori Education from St Nicholas Montessori College, which was commenced on or before 1 October 2018 and completed on or before 31 December 2023, to apply for registration up until 31 December 2023. This provision which was subject to extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders is now closed.
It had been known that this was being phased out with a clear timeframe for same, which outlines that the qualification was only acceptable for registration under Route 4 Other where the application was made on or before 31 December 2023.
All initial teacher education programmes in Ireland that lead to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council. The course being referred to in this query, was not a course of primary initial teacher education. At the time, St Nicholas’s did not seek to offer any other course of primary initial education.
Applications under Route 4 – Other (Qualified outside the Republic of Ireland) will continue be assessed by the Teaching Council to ensure that they meet the requirements for Special Educational Needs teaching in Ireland.
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 Teaching Council has published Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education - www.teachingcouncil.ie/assets/uploads/2023/08/ceim-standards-for-initial-teacher-education.pdf - which set out the requirements which all programmes of qualification for teaching in Ireland must meet in order to gain accreditation from the Teaching Council. It is also a benchmark for anybody seeking to register as a teacher in Ireland.
Céim includes core elements that ITE programmes must contain, including Inclusive Education: which "includes the fostering of appropriate learning environments, including digital ones, which support the development of student teachers’ ability to provide for the learning needs of all pupils by utilising, for example, a universal design for learning framework." This is intended to provide the foundational competencies teachers will need in order to teach in SEN settings.
There are a number of Graduate and Post-graduate Diplomas in the field of Special Education which are approved by the Department of Education and can be used to add this sector to a teacher’s registration where the teacher also holds an accredited teacher education qualification.
The Teaching Council works within Department policy and central to this policy is that all teachers teaching children with Special Educational Needs should be qualified Primary or Post-Primary teachers in the first instance and may then apply for one of the DE recognised qualifications in Special Educational Needs as outlined in Circular 0044/2019: assets.gov.ie/static/documents/dbbed0ae-00442019-.pdf
222. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Youth if additional funding can be allocated to small rural DEIS schools, such as (details supplied), to cover health and safety essential works, given the significant financial strain these schools face in maintaining their facilities, and if she will consider their application for emergency works to be carried out. [36796/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies, or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for pupils with special needs. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.
An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening.
The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation. The EWS in intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) which deals with upgrade works to the school.
The EWS is open to primary and post primary schools with permanent recognition and in non-rented accommodation. To make an application schools must complete the online Emergency Works Application Form available through the Esinet system.
The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for external environment works. The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation and, on this basis, the school was advised to submit further documentation and clarifications.
Once this has been received the EWS team will review the application and will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
223. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s position on secondary schools requiring parents to purchase iPads or specific digital devices, particularly in light of the roll-out of the free schoolbooks scheme; the guidance or oversight her Department provides to ensure that families are not subjected to undue financial pressure due to school-imposed digital learning policies; if she will consider conducting a review of digital learning policies in secondary schools where families are required to purchase iPads or similar devices; if her Department will explore providing funding or subsidies to support families in these cases, especially where such devices are used in lieu of traditional textbooks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36824/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am keenly aware of the challenges faced by educators and parents in relation to costs of digital technology, including tablets, and my Department continues to work to help support schools and families meet these costs. As referenced, in 2017, a circular letter issued to schools with measures to be adopted to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs including such ICT devices. assets.gov.ie/12695/2045e7ccec684f72b55d93930e45372c.pdf
The Circular provides that schools should also consult with parents on their views and suggestions on cost reduction initiatives. Schools should provide parents with a list of all required items and indicate the likely costs of these required items at best value stores. Where an exclusive supply arrangement applies, it should be reviewed regularly and tendered for in accordance with procurement requirements. This circular specified that wherever possible, generic rather than branded items should be specified (e.g. uniform, clothing, IT tablets, sports equipment etc.).
Under the Education Act, the Boards of Management of Schools have responsibility for the day to day management of schools. Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is therefore a matter for the Board of Management of each school in the context of their digital learning planning. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents when planning for the introduction of digital technologies including devices with cost and other implications being fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made.
Schools, in conjunction with parents, are responsible for decisions on the use of digital technology, including tablet devices, laptops, and learning platforms, and how best to manage their integration into classroom practice reflective of their own context and requirements.
As a mechanism to support school communities, the Charter Bill, which is being progressed through the Houses of the Oireachtas, aims to improve the level of collaboration between members of the school community by inviting feedback, comment and observation from the school community and by further developing a listening culture in schools. One of the key concepts of the Bill is the need for a school to consult with students and their parents on individual school plans, policies and activities, including in relation to school costs.
Oide-Technology in Education (the area within my department's support service for teachers specialising in digital technology in teaching and learning, formerly PDST-TiE) offer advice and supports to schools on digital learning. Advice sheets are available on digital technology in education, including on the adoption of laptops and tablets in schools.
It is the responsibility of each individual school to select the resources, if any, that it will use to support its implementation of the curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and my Department do not endorse or recommend particular materials or resources. This includes text books, e-Books, digital devices and so on.
The OGP and HEAnet, as well as my Department, have established framework of providers of digital devices including tablets, pcs and laptops, with appropriate specifications, agreed pricing, and levels of service, as well as providing framework management. Schools are encouraged to avail of these frameworks which will enable them to comply with procurement requirements and achieve agreed, transparent, pricing.
Back-to-school costs can be a burden for many families. Removing the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks in primary schools from the start of the 2023/24 school year has been shown to be a huge step in addressing the cost of sending children to school. €47 million is allocated in 2024 to continue implementation of the schoolbooks scheme at primary level. Further funding of over €67 million is allocated to provide free schoolbooks and classroom resources for Junior Cycle students in recognised post-primary schools in the free scheme for the 2024/25 school year. This will benefit approximately 212,000 Junior Cycle students and add to the 563,000 pupils in primary and special schools who benefited from this initiative in the current school year.
The Digital Strategy for Schools 2027, which builds on the progress made under the previous Digital Strategy, is underpinned by an investment of some €200m included in the National Development Plan 2021-2030 providing continuity of funding following the €210m that issued to schools to support the previous strategy. To date, €135m in ICT Grant funding under the Digital Strategy to 2027 has issued to schools from the NDP commitment. The funding issues directly to schools as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in accordance with their digital learning planning. This can include the purchase of ICT devices such as tablets, hybrid devices, or laptops, and the implementation of loan schemes for same if needed.
