Council Committees

In order to facilitate its work, the council has established a number of committees, groups and panels. Details of the functions and membership of each of these are set out below.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee is designed to facilitate the efficient and effective functioning of the Council by conducting the business of the Council between general meetings. Its specific functions include the following:

Providing a co-ordinating mechanism to take action on overarching issues as they may arise
Acting on behalf of the Council when, due to time constraints or other circumstances, it is not possible to arrange a general meeting of the Council
Making interim orders on behalf of the Council in urgent situations where the Council is unable to meet at short notice
Reviewing and making recommendations to the Council in respect of the establishment, membership, terms of reference and continuance of committees
Reporting regularly to the Council.

The Executive Committee is composed of the following members:

Micheál Ó Gríofa (Chair)
Bernadine O'Sullivan (Deputy Chair)
Milo Walsh
Fergal McCarthy
Michael Barry
Bernie Ruane
Anne McElduff
Brendan McCabe
Deirdre Mathews
Joan Russell
Michael Hayes

THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE

When Part 5 of the Teaching Council Act, 2001, is commenced, the Council or any person may apply to the Investigating Committee for an inquiry into the fitness to teach of a registered teacher where:

The teacher has failed to comply with or has contravened the Teaching Council Act, 2001, the Education Act, 1998, the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, the VEC Acts, 1930 to 1999, or any regulation, rules or orders made under those Acts
The teacher’s behaviour constitutes professional misconduct as defined by the Teaching Council Act, 2001
The Teacher’s registration is erroneous due to a false or fraudulent declaration or misrepresentation or
She or he is medically unfit to teach.

The Council will not routinely become involved in day-to-day contractual or disciplinary matters, or in hearing complaints which can be more appropriately dealt with at local level.

When it is deemed appropriate to do so, the Committee will refer an application to the Disciplinary Committee.

The Investigating Committee is composed of the following members:

Bernadine O'Sullivan (Chair)
Elaine Devlin
Bernie Ruane
Fergal McCarthy
Eimear Cole
Bríd Ní Raghallaigh
Dympna Mulkerrins
Brendan McCabe
Eleanor Petrie
Joan Russell
Marie McLoughlin

THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

A panel of the Disciplinary Committee will conduct a hearing on a complaint referred to it by the Investigating Committee. This hearing is conducted in accordance with Section 43 and Schedule 3 of the Teaching Council Act, 2001, and the associated rules and procedures which have been drawn up by the Council. Based on the hearing, the panel may make a finding of unfitness to teach, or it may dismiss the application. The panel makes it report to the Disciplinary Committee.

Where a finding of 'unfitness to teach' is reached, the Committee applies an appropriate sanction which may involve withdrawal of registration on a temporary or permanent basis or continuing registration subject to a number of conditions.

The Disciplinary Committee is composed of the following members:

Micheál Ó Gríofa (Chair)
Christy Maginn
Lily Cronin
Michael Gillespie
Marie Humphries
Declan Kelleher
Milo Walsh
Derbhile de Paor
Frank Turpin
Áine Lynch
Eileen Flynn
Patsy McVicar

Marie Clarke

THE REGISTRATION COMMITTEE

The Registration Committee advises the Council and makes recommendations in all areas relating to the registration of teachers by the Council. This work includes advising and making recommendations on:

The regulations governing registration
The processes for implementing such regulations
The process used for the review of panel decisions
The composition and terms of reference of Primary and Post-primary Applications Panels and the Evidence of Character Panel
The appointment of assessors to assist the Applications Panels and the Review of Decision process
Advising the council on the form of certification to be issued
Criteria and guidance for the assessment of qualifications for registration purposes
Issues relating to Evidence of Character and probation.

In addition, the Registration Committee, acting on behalf of the Council, reviews registration application decisions made by the Primary and Post-primary Applications Panels and the Evidence of Character Panel, where so requested by the applicant. It does this in accordance with the Review of Decision process adopted by the Council.

The Registration Committee is composed of the following members:

Michael Barry (Chair)
Lily Cronin
Fergal McCarthy
Marie Humphries
Eimear Cole
Diarmuid Ó Murchú
Dympna Mulkerrins
Seán Rowland
Deirdre Mathews
Ken Fennelly
Andrew McGrady
Joe O'Hara
Patsy McVicar

THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

This committee has responsibility for drafting submissions and making recommendations to the Council on a number of areas of the Council's work including:

The standards of education and training that should apply to persons entering programmes of teacher education in the State and the review and accreditation of such programmes
The review of the standards of knowledge, skills and competence required for the practice of teaching
Matters relating to the induction of new members into the profession
The promotion of the continuing education, training and professional development of teachers and the review and accreditation of programmes of continuing professional development
The drafting and review of codes of professional conduct for teachers
The promotion of teaching as a profession to potential new entrants
The Council's communications strategy
The Council's research policy.

The Education Committee is composed of the following members:

Fergal McCarthy (Chair)
Michael Gillespie
Noel Buckley
Kieran Christie
Derbhile de Paor
Declan Kelleher
Kathleen O'Connor
Seán Rowland
Marie Clarke
Marie McLoughlin
Andrew McGrady
Joe O'Hara
Patsy McVicar

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

The Finance Committee oversees the Council's financial affairs including the preparation of the annual budget, the ongoing monitoring of income and expenditure and the Council’s general administrative arrangements.

Its functions include:

Reviewing and reporting on the financial affairs of the Council
Considering the annual budget
Reviewing actual income and expenditure against the budget at regular specified intervals during the annual budget cycle and ensuring a revised budget is prepared where necessary
Supervising the disbursement of funds
Reviewing and making recommendations with respect to the Council’s fees
Liaising with and preparing accounts for the auditors.

The Finance Committee is composed of the following members:

Milo Walsh (Chair)
Michael Gillespie
Christy Maginn
Frank Turpin
Joan Russell

Prof. Michael Hayes

THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

The Audit Committee monitors the systems, financial controls and procedures of the Council to ensure they operate in an orderly and efficient manner.

The Audit Committee is composed of the following members:

Joan Russell (Chair)
Marie Humphries
John Conlon
Elaine Devlin
Deirdre Mathews

EVIDENCE OF CHARACTER PANEL

The Council's Evidence of Character Panel assesses the Evidence of Character of applicants seeking to register as teachers with the Council. It does so in line with guidelines which have been approved by the Council, and which are available here.

Where the Panel decides that an applicant's evidence of character renders her/him unsuitable for registration purposes, the Panel will notify the applicant of its decision, the reasons for that decision and the courses of action open to the applicant at that point. The Panel then prepares a report for the attention of the Registration Committee.

The Evidence of Character Panel is composed of the following members:

Eleanor Petrie (Chair)
Elaine Devlin
Michael Gillespie
Kathleen O'Connor
Dympna Mulkerrins
Eileen Flynn
Joan Russell

PRIMARY APPLICATIONS PANEL

This panel reviews the recommendations of staff and/or external assessors in respect of the suitability, for registration purposes, of applicants' qualifications in the primary sector. It reports to the Registration Committee.

The Primary Applications Panel is composed of the following members:

Ken Fennelly (Chair)
John Conlon
Bríd Ní Raghallaigh
Diarmuid Ó Murchú
Christy Maginn
Brendan McCabe
Marie McLoughlin

POST-PRIMARY APPLICATIONS PANEL

This panel reviews the recommendations of staff and/or external assessors in respect of the suitability, for registration purposes, of applicants' qualifications in the post-primary (including further education) sector. It reports to the Registration Committee.

The Post-Primary Applications Panel is composed of the following members:

Noel Buckley (Chair)
Kieran Christie
Bernadine O'Sullivan
Bernie Ruane
Declan Kelleher
Patsy McVicar