Registration With Conditions

Under Section 31(6)(b) of the Teaching Council Act, 2001, the Council may register a person subject to conditions, including conditions as to probation, and such conditions shall be complied with within such period as may be specified by the Council. Accordingly, registration with conditions is therefore granted where a registrant has not fulfilled all of the requirements of registration.

Qualification Shortfalls (QS)

If shortfalls have been identified in the qualifications (primary degree or teacher education qualifications) of an applicant during the process of qualifications assessment, these shortfalls are identified to the applicant on completion of the assessment. Shortfalls are commonly addressed through the completion of an approved module or course (Aptitude Test), or via the completion of an employment based module (Adaptation Period). Conditional registration will be granted to the applicant until all the identified shortfalls have been addressed and the Teaching Council has received confirmation that the condition has been fulfilled.

Irish Language Requirement (ILR)

In accordance with Department of Education and Skills Circular Letter 25/00, if an applicant for registration completes a programme of teacher education outside of the Republic of Ireland (with the exception of the PGCE through the medium of Irish or the four year honours Irish academic course at St. Mary’s College Belfast), he or she must complete an aptitude test or adaptation period which satisfies the Department of Education and Skills and proves that the applicant is competent to teach the Irish language and teach the range of primary school curricular subjects through the medium of Irish.

Conditional/provisional recognition and conditional registration is granted to those who are in the process of completing this requirement. A maximum period of three years is set for the completion of the adaptation period or five years for the aptitude test.

Probation – Primary Teachers Only (Including those with restricted recognition)

As part of the process to gain full recognition as a primary teacher, all teachers are required to undergo a probationary period after satisfying the Irish Language requirement. The probationary period is organised in accordance with Department of Education and Skills Circular 0047/2011. If individual teachers have completed a probationary period in another jurisdiction, it may only be necessary to complete a probationary period in the teaching of Irish. In cases where a teacher has completed no probationary period, it will be necessary for them to undergo a one-year probationary period in this State. The probationary process will involve incidental visits from a Departmental Inspector and reports on the suitability of the teacher. 

Note: If the probationary process is carried out in a restricted setting (i.e. within a Special Class or Resource Teaching role) and the probated teacher then takes up a position in a mainstream setting, a supplementary inspection is carried out by the Ipsectorate. The teacher should make an application for a supplementary inspection visit using OP1 form.

Last Updated: January 2012