Teaching is one of the most respected careers in the Republic of Ireland. Teachers shape young people's lives, and the work brings real day-to-day variety and purpose. If you are thinking about teaching here, two things matter most at the outset: registering with the Teaching Council, which you must do before you can teach in a recognised school, and knowing where teaching jobs are advertised so you can find and apply for them.
This guide explains both, in plain English, along with the qualifications usually needed and how the application process tends to work. Any unfamiliar term is explained the first time it appears. Pay is in euro, and the way teachers' salaries are set is covered below.
The school system in brief
Schools in the Republic of Ireland are usually grouped into two stages:
- Primary schools, for younger children.
- Post-primary schools, sometimes called second-level or secondary schools, for teenagers up to school-leaving age.
There are also further education and training settings for older students and adults. Teaching at primary and post-primary level is the focus of this guide, because that is where most teaching vacancies sit and where Teaching Council registration is central.
Most schools are publicly funded but managed locally, often by a board of management. A board of management is the group responsible for running an individual school. In practice this means many teaching posts are advertised and filled at school level, even though pay and registration are handled nationally.
Why Teaching Council registration matters
The Teaching Council is the body that regulates the teaching profession in the Republic of Ireland. To teach in a recognised school and to be paid from public funds, you generally must be registered with the Teaching Council. Registration is not optional for these roles — it is the legal gateway into the profession.
Registration does several things. It confirms you hold qualifications suitable for the role you want to teach. It sets professional standards that teachers are expected to meet. And it gives schools and parents confidence that a registered teacher has been properly checked, including background vetting.
You can find the official requirements and apply for registration through the Teaching Council.
Registration routes
The Teaching Council registers teachers under different routes depending on the level and subjects you intend to teach, for example:
- A primary route, for those qualified to teach in primary schools.
- A post-primary route, for those qualified to teach particular subjects at second level.
- Routes for further education and other recognised categories.
Each route has its own qualification requirements. If you qualified outside the Republic of Ireland, there is a process for having your qualifications assessed and recognised. It is wise to start that early, because it can take time and you cannot take up a recognised teaching post without being registered.
Vetting and checks
As part of becoming a teacher you will need Garda vetting, which is a background check carried out before you work with children and young people. The Teaching Council includes vetting in its registration process. Keeping your registration up to date, including paying the annual renewal, is your own responsibility once you are on the register.
Qualifications you usually need
The exact qualifications depend on the level and subject, but the general pattern is:
- Primary teaching usually requires a recognised teacher-education qualification for primary level, such as a relevant degree in education or a recognised postgraduate route into primary teaching.
- Post-primary teaching usually requires a degree in the subject or subjects you want to teach, plus a recognised teacher-education qualification, often a professional master's in education.
There are also specific requirements that can apply, such as competence in the Irish language for certain primary posts. Always check the Teaching Council's current requirements for the route that fits you, as these are the rules that decide your eligibility.
Where teaching jobs are advertised
Unlike many civil-service jobs, teaching posts are not all gathered on a single government recruitment site. Because individual schools do much of their own hiring, vacancies appear in a few main places.
- [educationposts.ie](https://www.educationposts.ie) is the best-known dedicated noticeboard for teaching vacancies in the Republic of Ireland. Many primary and post-primary schools advertise there, so it is a sensible first stop.
- Individual school websites often list their own vacancies, particularly larger schools.
- Education and training boards, which oversee groups of schools and colleges in their areas, advertise posts as well.
It is worth checking more than one source regularly, especially around the times of year when schools recruit. Setting up alerts where a site allows it can save you from missing a closing date.
How the application process usually works
Because many posts are filled at school level, the process can vary from one school to another. Even so, a common pattern looks like this:
- 1.Find the vacancy and read the advert carefully. It will state the level, the subject (for post-primary), the type of contract and the closing date.
- 2.Prepare your application. This usually means a CV and a covering letter or application form, plus confirmation of your Teaching Council registration. Some schools have their own forms.
- 3.Apply before the deadline, following the instructions in the advert exactly.
- 4.Shortlisting, where the school reviews applications against what the post needs and decides who to interview.
- 5.Interview, often before a small panel that may include members of the board of management. Expect questions about your teaching, your subject knowledge, classroom management and how you support pupils.
- 6.References and checks, including confirmation of registration and vetting, before any offer is finalised.
Types of teaching post
Teaching contracts come in different forms. Some are permanent. Others are fixed-term, covering a set period, or are to cover for another teacher who is away. Substitute or short-term work is common, especially early in a career, and it can be a good way to build experience and become known to schools. The advert will say what kind of post is on offer.
How teachers' pay works
Teachers in publicly funded schools are paid on national salary scales, set in euro. A salary scale is a series of pay points for a role. New teachers usually start near the bottom of the scale and move up a point each year, with the scale also reflecting qualifications and, over time, additional responsibilities.
These figures are set centrally, are reviewed over time and change, so this article does not quote specific amounts. The pay that applies to a particular post should be confirmed from the official scales and the job advert. Teaching also comes with a pension and the school-year pattern of holidays, and there are routes to take on extra responsibilities and progress over a career.
Tips for landing a teaching post
- Register first. Sort out Teaching Council registration early, because you cannot take up a recognised post without it.
- Tailor each application. Match your covering letter to the specific school and role rather than sending the same letter everywhere.
- Show your subjects clearly. For post-primary roles, make sure your registered subjects line up with what the school needs.
- Build experience. Substitute and fixed-term work helps you grow and get noticed.
- Prepare for interview. Be ready to talk about how you plan lessons, manage a class and support different learners, with real examples.
- Watch the deadlines. School vacancies can close quickly, so check the noticeboards regularly.
Where to apply for Republic of Ireland roles
GovJobs currently focuses on UK public-sector vacancies. For teaching roles in the Republic of Ireland, you should apply directly rather than through GovJobs.
Start with the Teaching Council for registration, and look for vacancies on educationposts.ie, individual school websites and the relevant education and training boards. Apply to each school or employer through the channel named in its advert.
This article is general information to help you understand teaching careers and registration in the Republic of Ireland. It is not formal careers or legal advice, and the details of qualifications, pay and process can change over time. Always work from the Teaching Council's current requirements and the specific job advert you are applying to.
