Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Coaching and Developing Others Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
• Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
• Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
• Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
• Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.
• Modify the general education curriculum for special-needs students, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

Last Updated: February, 2024

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €25k - €78k

Salaries vary by entry date, post qualifications, shift pattern, experience, and employer. 

Special needs Asst Childcare: € 25,102 - € 42,190

Primary teacher: €40,635 - €75,871 

Second level: €42,765 -€78,426

Data Source(s):
DES/ ETBI/ TUI/ INTO/ ASTI

Last Updated: February, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth was below average for secondary teachers with numbers remaining relatively unchanged since 2020. Enrolments in post primary schools have been in increasing in recent years, with some, but not all, of the most recent increase due to the enrolment of nearly 5,500 Ukrainian pupils in 2022/23; enrolments were expected to decline from 2025, although this may depend on migration patterns (such as the presence of Ukrainian students). Teachers with specific subject combinations remain difficult to source, however.

A 2021 report by the Department of Education noted particular challenges in recruiting teachers of STEM, modern Irish, modern foreign languages and home economics subjects. A recent survey by ASTI on recruitment, retention and supply of teachers highlighted particular difficulties in recruiting teachers for Mathematics and Irish and also signalled that issues such as pay and availability of housing is a significant deterrent for attracting teachers to the sector. The Department of Education has introduced a suite of measures to address teacher demand in priority subjects, including procuring Level 8 programmes to upskill teachers to teach Mathematics, Physics and Spanish as well as a pilot scheme to facilitate teacher sharing between schools.

Primary & Nursery Teachers (Solas National Skills 2023)

Employment growth for primary teachers was above average, although employment remained unchanged since 2021. Despite the lack of employment growth in 2022, there was a significant number of recent job hires, which may relate to the recruitment of substitute teachers or those on temporary contracts. Although enrolments in primary schools were expected to decline over the coming years, the arrival of Ukrainian students has reversed this decline: there were 10,141 Ukrainian pupils enrolled in Ireland’s primary schools in 2022/2023.

An additional 610 primary teacher training places are due to come on stream over the next two years on a temporary basis to assist with alleviating issues filling vacant teacher posts. Future demand for primary teachers will depend on demographic patterns, pupil-teacher ratios and other policy initiatives, while the supply of teachers will be impacted by factors such as cost of living and housing supply.

• Department of Education and Skills

  • Marlborough St, Dublin 1
  • (01) 889 6400
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• The Teaching Council

  • Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth Co. Kildare
  • (01) 651 7900
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• National Council for Special Education

  • 1-2 Mill St, Trim, Co. Meath
  • (046) 9486400
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here