The Teaching Council  is the professional standards body for the teaching profession.  The Council seeks to set and uphold high professional standards for teaching and teachers. It does this in the interests of pupils and the public good but equally for the reputation and status of the profession. Established in 2006 under the Teaching Council Act 2001 the Council has 37 members, 22 of whom are registered teachers

As the professional standards body for teaching in Ireland, the Teaching Council acts as the gatekeeper to the teaching profession at primary and post-primary level, and within
specific areas of the further education sector. The Council ensures standards are upheld in the teaching profession by:

• setting the requirements for entry to teaching
• maintaining a register of teachers who meet the Council’s registration requirements
• establishing and monitoring standards for all phases of teacher education
• developing a Code of Professional Conduct, and
• investigating complaints regarding the fitness to teach of registered teachers. (This function is planned for commencement in 2012/2013.)
  

The Council is made up of thirty-seven members as follows:

• Eleven primary teachers, nine of whom are elected and two of whom are teacher union nominees
• Eleven post-primary teachers, seven of whom are elected and four of whom are teacher union nominees
• Two nominated by colleges of education
• Two nominated by specified third level bodies
• Four nominated by school management (two primary and two post-primary)
• Two nominated by parents’ associations (one primary and one post-primary)
• Five nominated by the Minister for Education and Skills, including one representing each of IBEC and ICTU.

The Council has established three statutory committees as required under the Teaching Council Acts, 2001 and 2006. These are the Executive Committee, the Investigating Committee and the Disciplinary Committee. The Council has also established three standing committees: the Registration Committee, the Finance Committee and the Education Committee.

As the regulator for the teaching profession, the Teaching Council ensures that professional standards are upheld. It does this in the interests of pupils and society but equally, so as to protect for the reputation and status of the profession.

Teachers will benefit in many ways from the work of the Council. This work includes:

• Maintaining a register of teachers
  The first Register of Teachers in the State has been established with over 73,000 teachers currently registered. Registration is a requirement for new teaching appointments and it will be mandatory for all teachers when Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act is commenced.
• Regulating entry to the teaching profession
  Published in 2009, the Registration Regulations set standards and bring greater uniformity to the requirements for registration.
• Assessing qualifications
  The qualifications of applicants for registration who qualify outside of Ireland are assessed to make sure they are comparable and equivalent to qualifications awarded in Ireland.
• Reviewing and accrediting programmes of initial teacher education
  Reviewing and accrediting the 43 programmes of initial teacher education in Ireland to ensure that they are appropriate for entry to the profession. 
• Publishing and reviewing Codes of Professional Conduct for Teachers
  Publishing and reviewing Codes brings teaching into line with other professions in Ireland which have had written codes of conduct or ethical standards for many years.
• Holding inquiries into professional conduct
  When Part 5 of the Teaching Council Act is commenced, the Council may hold an inquiry into fitness to teach of a registered teacher and impose sanctions, where appropriate. This function is planned for commencement in 2012/2013.
• Developing a career entry programme for newly qualified teachers
  The Career Entry Professional Programme (CEPP) is expected to be introduced on a phased basis from in September 2012. This will encompass the Teaching Council’s statutory functions in relation to the induction of newly qualified teachers into the profession and their probation as fully registered teachers. This will supersede existing arrangements for induction and probation.

In all of this work, teachers, through their majority representation on the Council, will be afforded the opportunity to play an active part in setting the standards for their profession.

The teacher unions have distinct roles which range from personal support and representation to negotiation on pay and conditions of service.

The Teaching Council is concerned solely with professional matters.

For information on who may apply to register and the procedure involved, click here.