Teachers who have qualified overseas will be able to undertake their induction in the State for a time-limited period, the Department of Education has announced, in an attempt to boost teacher supply.
The move will mean teachers who qualify abroad can have their qualification recognised in Ireland following induction at an Irish school.
It is time-limited, however, with applicable teachers having until December 2027 to take part.
Similar measures have been introduced in recent years, with the department saying it “proved valuable” in the past in addressing teacher supply pressures.
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The measure, it said, reflects continuing workforce needs arising from demographic demand, special education expansion and the continued enrolment of children from Ukraine.
Applicable teachers will be able to apply to complete induction in Ireland through the Teaching Council website in the coming days.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee said it is one of a number of measures being taken to address supply challenges, with another being a move to ensure teachers can gain earlier access to permanent contracts.
While the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said it “welcomes any focus” on the teacher recruitment and retention crisis, it said the measure announced on Thursday will not have a “real impact on the problems being faced daily in Irish schools”.
In the first instance, it said schools require greater teaching allocations to allow more full-time, permanent jobs from initial appointment.
“Our own research from a survey of our members carried out earlier this year shows that only 26 per cent of respondents appointed since 2015 received a contract of full hours upon commencement, with just 11 per cent offered a permanent position on appointment.
“So much for teaching being a ‘safe’ and ‘secure’ job,” the union said in a statement.
It added that teachers returning from positions in private schools outside the EU are placed on the first point of the teachers’ salary scale in Ireland, “despite the significant and demonstrable experience” attained abroad.
“This affects the overwhelming majority of those who may wish to return to Ireland from countries such as Dubai.
“In many cases, they will simply choose to continue to teach outside Ireland or, if they do return, work in other employments where their transferable skills are better appreciated,” it said.
The TUI added that halving the duration of the two-year professional master of education (PME) would make the profession more accessible.
“It is no longer acceptable that second-level teachers should have to complete a four-year degree followed by a two-year PME, being subsidised by family if they’re fortunate enough to have this support or else being saddled with significant debt before they even apply for an initial teaching job that is unlikely to be on a permanent or full-time basis,” it said.
