Procedures and Criteria for Droichead 2026/2027

Pursuant to Section 7(2)(f) and (g) of the Teaching Council Act 2001, as amended.

Glossary

Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT)

A teacher who meets the Council’s requirements in terms of qualification under Route 1 or Route 2 of the Schedule but has not completed the required period of professional practice, including a teacher who obtained entry to the register through Route 5 of the Schedule and who has since successfully completed the accredited programme in teacher education in respect of which they were registered.

Professional Support Team (PST)

The PST consists of experienced colleagues who have completed a programme of professional learning with the Oide, including mentor skill development.

Higher Education Institution (HEI)

HEI or Higher Education Institution denotes those colleges, universities and other third level bodies providing one or more accredited programmes of initial teacher education.

Oide

Oide is a Department of Education support service for schools, established in 2023.

Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

ITE refers to the initial phase of learning to be a teacher when student teachers are engaged in a recognised teacher education programme.

Cosán

The national framework that guides and supports teachers’ professional learning following their induction process. It is a flexible framework that recognises the importance of individual circumstances and school contexts and the many different ways that teachers learn.

Inclusive Education

The term inclusive education refers to any aspect of teachers’ learning aimed at improving their capacity to address and respond to the diversity of learners’ needs; to enable their participation in learning; and remove barriers to education through the accommodation and provision of appropriate structures and arrangements to enable each learner to achieve the maximum benefit from his/her attendance at school.

Taisce

Taisce refers to the process of portfolio-based learning which is carried through from Initial Teacher Education programmes to enable Newly Qualified Teachers to reflect on their professional learning and practice, as appropriate to their stage of learning and to identify and plan for areas in which they may need support or guidance.

Continuum of teacher education

This refers to the formal and informal learning in which teachers engage as life-long learners during their teaching career. It encompasses Initial Teacher Education, Droichead (the integrated professional induction framework), and Cosán (teachers’ learning).

Recognised School

A recognised school is a school which is recognised in accordance with Section 10 of the Education Act, 1998.

Education Support Centre

An Education Support Centre is as provided for in Section 10 (4) of the Education Act, 1998.

Introduction

The Teaching Council is the regulator of the teaching profession in Ireland. Our role is to protect the public by promoting and regulating professional standards in teaching.

We do this through the statutory registration of teachers, ensuring a highly qualified teaching profession, whose members meet and uphold high standards of professional competence and conduct.

This document sets out the Droichead requirements for newly registered teachers and teachers who have not previously completed a period of professional practice (induction).

Droichead is the integrated professional induction framework for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) and is central to the continuum of teacher education. It builds on initial teacher education (ITE) and recognises that induction is a distinct phase of the continuum. It includes both school-based induction and additional learning activities.

Section three sets out the Droichead policy and gives details of settings and eligibility requirements.

Important Operational Points for Droichead

1.1 NQTs employed in an eligible setting and for the minimum period of professional practice (please refer to section 3 of the Droichead Policy) can apply to the Teaching Council for approval to commence the Droichead process.

1.2 NQTs must apply for Droichead via their My Registration account. If their application is approved, they will receive a confirmation email of approval which includes their commencement date.

1.3 Before commencing the Droichead process an NQT must have received their confirmation email from the Council.

1.4 NQTs should always seek approval from the principal and PST in their school before applying for Droichead.

1.5 The Droichead process begins on the date the application is submitted. In exceptional circumstances where there is a delay in submitting an application, the process may be deemed to have commenced at a maximum of five working days prior to the application date. Any service completed in advance of that date will not be counted towards the eligible service requirement.

1.6 All elements of the Droichead process must be completed within the same school year.

1.7 All elements of the Droichead process, school-based induction (strand A) and additional professional learning activities (strand B), must be completed before submitting your Form D and signed joint declaration form.

1.8 If you change settings during the Droichead process or if there is a change to the Professional Support Team (PST), please email conditions@teachingcouncil.ie for advice.

1.9 Job-sharing, part-time contracts

Applications for the Droichead process will be accepted for the school year 2026/2027 for teachers registered under Primary, or Route 4 Other, with the condition of Droichead attached to their registration, who are:

On a job-share contract for the duration of the full academic year, including teachers employed as replacement teachers, or
On a part-time contract of not less than twelve and a half hours (12.5 hours) for the duration of the academic year.

Note 1: For teachers who meet either of the above eligibility requirements, the Council will accept applications for the Droichead process on the understanding that the applications are made by 30 September 2026 and that the Droichead process will extend for the duration of the academic year (i.e., teachers must apply to commence Droichead on or before 30 September 2026 and must remain on the process until the end of the academic year).

Note 2: Where a teacher has two separate part-time contracts which total more than 12.5 hours for the full academic year, they may apply for Droichead once both schools agree to the process and a PST cluster arrangement is put in place, if necessary.

Advice should be sought from the Teaching Council by emailing conditions@teachingcouncil.ie.

1.10 Supply panel and principal release time post

Primary teachers who have secured a post on a supply panel, or a principal release time post can apply for Droichead.

Primary teachers who secure these posts to complete the Droichead process are subject to certain provisions. These are listed below in Section 3 “Duration of professional practice
required”.

1.11 Droichead Condition Expiry Date

Teacher’s with a Droichead registration condition due to expire must submit an application for an extension of time to address the condition, to remain registered with the Teaching Council. This requirement is in line with Section 32 of the Teaching Council Act 2001, as amended. Applications can be made through their My Registration account.

Information about the extension request process is available on www.teachingcouncil.ie