Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 July 2026
267. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which a person working part-time in a post primary school can achieve Droichead registration if they do not work the required 200 hours in an academic year, if they are unable to increase their hours even temporarily due to caring commitments. [52396/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation and registration of the teaching profession in Ireland, including the Droichead registration condition. This is provided for under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015.
Droichead is an integrated professional induction framework for newly qualified teachers (NQTs). This integrated framework includes both school- based induction and additional professional learning activities to address the needs of teachers as they begin their careers.
Droichead plays a central role in the continuum of teacher education, supporting teachers as they transition from initial teacher education into the teaching profession.
Its main objective is to support the professional learning of NQTs during the induction phase, thus laying the foundations for subsequent professional growth and learning for the next phase of their career. All teachers must complete the Droichead process in full. The Teaching Council endeavours to apply the process equally and transparently to all NQTs.
A review of the Droichead policy was recently carried out by the Teaching Council, and this involved feedback and engagement from a number of stakeholders. Details of the policy review can be found on the Teaching Council website on the following webpage: www.teachingcouncil.ie/news/updated-droichead-policy-published-following-comprehensive-review/.
