12th June 2020
At its latest meeting, the Teaching Council has elected INTO Ex-President Sean McMahon as the new Chairperson of the council.
Seán Mc Mahon, B.Ed, M.R.D. a graduate of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and N.U.I. Galway has had an extensive involvement in education throughout his professional career. He served as Deputy Chair of the Teaching Council, the statutory professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching since 2016. He was also Chair of the Council’s Investigating Committee in relation to Fitness to Teach during this time.
Following his election, newly elected Chairperson Mr McMahon commented:
The Teaching Council plays a vital role in supporting quality teaching and learning by all teachers in every school in the country. I am honoured to be elected Chair of the Council. I look forward to working with my fellow Council members and Council staff to support all school communities in realising the full potential of their collective work – teachers, parents and students alike.
In Ireland, we have a proud and powerful record in education which, as a nation, we have always treasured and nurtured. Building on that proud tradition, teachers almost instinctively know that we must embrace the innovations of technology, old and new, to ensure that all learners receive an education that stretches all and breaks none. Never has this been more obvious than in the current climate where the teaching profession is continuing to rise to the challenges of these unprecedented times to connect with pupils across a wide variety of innovative digital platforms.
In this vein, I wish to see the Council enhance its promotion of the profession in tandem with its regulation. I believe that facilitating vibrant conversations between stakeholders will be key to the success of this objective”.
Seán previously worked as a primary school principal in Mullagh, Co. Clare and was an elected member of the Irish National Teachers Organisation Central Executive Committee from 2007-2016, serving as INTO President in 2014/2015. He has also served as the elected Chairperson of Clare/Limerick Education and Training Board and is a member of the Governing Bodies of Mary Immaculate College, and Limerick Institute of Technology.
INTO congratulates Seán on his election and wishes him well during his tenure as chairperson of the Teaching Council.