Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
344. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline efforts underway within her Department to increase the supply of primary and secondary school teachers; the specific breakdown of the number who were employed nationally, by county for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15939/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to ensuring that every child has a positive school experience, with access to qualified and engaged teachers who are dedicated to supporting their learning.
There are more qualified teachers than ever working in schools with over 97% of allocated teaching posts filled according to an analysis of the teacher payroll in March 2025. This analysis found that there were over 79,000 teachers employed nationwide in our schools with over 43,000 at primary level including special schools and 36,000 in post-primary schools.
Over 98% of allocated teaching posts in primary and post-primary schools were filled in November 2025. Teacher attrition remains low, with fewer than 3% resigning or retiring annually, one of the lowest rates in the OECD.
As with other sectors of the economy, recruitment challenges exist. To address these, several targeted measures have been implemented that have led to:
• an over 30% increase in the number of teachers registered with the Teaching Council between 2017 and 2025, and
• an increase in allocated teaching posts of 11,752 between 2018/19 and 2024/25.
During the period 2020-2024, the number of teachers employed has increased across all counties, and at a greater rate than increases in student enrolment. Figure 1 below provides the number of teachers employed in each of these years.
Figure 1 Number who were employed nationally, by county for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
|
County |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Carlow |
887 |
886 |
916 |
925 |
942 |
|
Cavan |
951 |
963 |
1004 |
1026 |
1047 |
|
Clare |
1476 |
1507 |
1562 |
1652 |
1662 |
|
Cork |
7289 |
7476 |
7722 |
7922 |
8025 |
|
Donegal |
2021 |
2056 |
2134 |
2212 |
2238 |
|
Dublin |
15893 |
16050 |
16486 |
16581 |
16889 |
|
Galway |
3617 |
3677 |
3773 |
3859 |
3887 |
|
Kerry |
1919 |
1965 |
2009 |
2097 |
2134 |
|
Kildare |
2897 |
2931 |
3008 |
3025 |
3074 |
|
Kilkenny |
1153 |
1162 |
1187 |
1217 |
1224 |
|
Laois |
1166 |
1182 |
1235 |
1242 |
1278 |
|
Leitrim |
370 |
379 |
394 |
399 |
423 |
|
Limerick |
2515 |
2607 |
2707 |
2731 |
2795 |
|
Longford |
626 |
640 |
673 |
704 |
703 |
|
Louth |
1866 |
1931 |
2026 |
2096 |
2153 |
|
Mayo |
1797 |
1817 |
1881 |
1968 |
1980 |
|
Meath |
2298 |
2319 |
2424 |
2466 |
2540 |
|
Monaghan |
764 |
772 |
794 |
798 |
818 |
|
Offaly |
1042 |
1050 |
1113 |
1139 |
1182 |
|
Roscommon |
839 |
847 |
896 |
923 |
948 |
|
Sligo |
856 |
865 |
886 |
911 |
934 |
|
Tipperary |
2132 |
2181 |
2258 |
2305 |
2334 |
|
Waterford |
1579 |
1622 |
1678 |
1731 |
1768 |
|
Westmeath |
1322 |
1356 |
1407 |
1434 |
1461 |
|
Wexford |
2052 |
2089 |
2172 |
2238 |
2287 |
|
Wicklow |
1710 |
1760 |
1816 |
1865 |
1911 |
Additionally, the number of unfilled allocated teaching posts has improved in the period 2024-2025. Figures 2, 3, and 4 below provide the percentage of unfilled allocated teaching posts by county, and ETB. Overall, in November 2024, 97.9% of allocated teaching posts were filled, while in November 2025, 98.3% of allocated teaching posts were filled. This improvement is a reflection of a number of factors, including measures implemented by this Government to address teacher supply challenges.
Figure 2 Percentage of Unused Allocations by County (Primary)
|
County |
Nov-24 |
Nov-25 |
|
Carlow |
1.54 |
2.51 |
|
Cavan |
2.84 |
1.55 |
|
Clare |
1.65 |
2.10 |
|
Cork |
3.38 |
2.62 |
|
Donegal |
2.18 |
1.60 |
|
Dublin |
5.08 |
3.21 |
|
Galway |
2.27 |
2.15 |
|
Kerry |
1.19 |
1.15 |
|
Kildare |
4.24 |
3.72 |
|
Kilkenny |
3.46 |
1.80 |
|
Laois |
2.17 |
2.34 |
|
Leitrim |
0.18 |
0.92 |
|
Limerick |
1.58 |
0.99 |
|
Longford |
2.33 |
2.67 |
|
Louth |
2.02 |
1.15 |
|
Mayo |
2.07 |
1.54 |
|
Meath |
3.05 |
2.74 |
|
Monaghan |
3.00 |
3.84 |
|
Offaly |
1.65 |
2.13 |
|
Roscommon |
1.14 |
2.10 |
|
Sligo |
2.39 |
2.76 |
|
Tipperary |
1.51 |
2.13 |
|
Waterford |
1.70 |
2.13 |
|
Westmeath |
3.25 |
2.64 |
|
Wexford |
2.36 |
1.73 |
|
Wicklow |
3.03 |
3.28 |
Figure 3 Percentage of Unused Allocations by County (Post Primary)
|
County |
Nov-24 |
Nov-25 |
|
Carlow |
0.58 |
0.00 |
|
Cavan |
2.06 |
1.94 |
|
Clare |
1.37 |
1.79 |
|
Cork |
1.70 |
1.40 |
|
Donegal |
4.04 |
3.33 |
|
Dublin |
2.21 |
1.87 |
|
Galway |
1.59 |
1.35 |
|
Kerry |
2.59 |
1.86 |
|
Kildare |
1.84 |
1.19 |
|
Kilkenny |
0.78 |
0.38 |
|
Laois |
0.53 |
1.12 |
|
Leitrim |
0.58 |
0.23 |
|
Limerick |
0.00 |
0.69 |
|
Longford |
1.30 |
1.54 |
|
Louth |
1.26 |
1.55 |
|
Mayo |
1.45 |
1.96 |
|
Meath |
1.96 |
2.08 |
|
Monaghan |
0.86 |
1.06 |
|
Offaly |
0.47 |
1.87 |
|
Roscommon |
2.39 |
1.39 |
|
Sligo |
0.50 |
1.63 |
|
Tipperary |
2.05 |
1.11 |
|
Waterford |
1.93 |
2.14 |
|
Westmeath |
1.14 |
1.59 |
|
Wexford |
2.04 |
2.04 |
|
Wicklow |
2.86 |
2.58 |
Figure 4 % Unused Allocations by ETB
|
Post Primary |
Nov-24 |
Nov-25 |
|
Cavan And Monaghan ETB |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
City Of Dublin ETB |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Cork ETB |
3.08 |
2.12 |
|
Donegal ETB |
3.65 |
2.16 |
|
Dublin And Dun Laoghaire ETB |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Galway And Roscommon ETB |
2.23 |
0.00 |
|
Kerry ETB |
4.50 |
1.85 |
|
Kildare And Wicklow ETB |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Kilkenny And Carlow ETB |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Laois And Offaly ETB |
4.20 |
4.81 |
|
Limerick And Clare ETB |
1.32 |
0.30 |
|
Longford And Westmeath ETB |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Louth And Meath ETB |
0.00 |
0.19 |
|
Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB |
3.61 |
2.83 |
|
Tipperary ETB |
2.39 |
0.00 |
|
Waterford And Wexford ETB |
0.00 |
0.00 |
I am committed to further addressing teacher supply issues; my Department recently approved regulations to allow teachers who qualified overseas to undertake their induction in the State. This will help to encourage teachers abroad to return to Ireland to take up teaching roles.This measure seeks to enhance the supply of NQTs available to schools and is particularly relevant for Irish teachers who have studied and qualified abroad and who may wish to return to the Irish education sector.
It was announced in 2025 that newly appointed teachers will be able to gain permanency more quickly. Additionally, my Department has introduced a STEM bursary and expanded post-primary teacher upskilling programmes which are in addition to more flexible substitution measures, extended to the current school year.
The Teaching Transforms campaign continues to promote the teaching profession and encourages students to follow a career in teaching. A campaign coinciding with the CAO closing date in February is currently under way. A comprehensive workforce plan for the education sector, a commitment under the Programme for Government, is in development. Additionally, a new project, supported by UNESCO and the EU Commission, will create a strategic plan for managing Ireland’s teaching workforce is part of the workforce planning activity currently underway. This two-year project will involve consultations with key stakeholders to develop recommendations with a report due in 2026.
Teaching is an attractive career choice with 3,600 newly qualified teachers registered with the Teaching Council in 2025, increases in CAO first preferences for both primary (9%) and post-primary (5%) teaching programmes. Salaries are competitive, starting at €44,879 (primary) and €46,448 (post-primary) and rising to €85,000 under the current pay deal. Around 6% of first-choice CAO applications from 2017–2024 were for teaching, showing steady demand. In 2025, first preferences rose by 9% in primary and 5% for post-primary teaching. 85% of newly appointed primary teachers in 2024/25 are on full-time, mostly fixed-term contracts. Over 75% of new post-primary teachers are employed full-time. 93% of teachers with 5+ years’ experience hold permanent full-time or pro-rata contracts.
My Department frequently consults and engages closely with stakeholders on issues such as teacher supply through industrial relations forums, sectoral meetings, and direct discussions with teacher unions. I am considering further measures to strengthen the teaching workforce and ensure that schools have the support needed to provide an excellent education for every student.
