Department not 'in denial' over teacher recruitment and retention, says senior official

The Oireachtas Education Committee heard that teacher numbers are now at a record high, with over 79,000 teachers employed across primary and post-primary schools as of March 2025. File picture: iStock

It is “unfair” to say that the Department of Education is “in denial” about the issues facing schools across the country when it comes to teacher recruitment and retention, a senior department official has said.

Addressing the Oireachtas Education Committee, assistant secretary Aoife Conduit said the Department of Education is listening to the challenges schools on the ground are facing and there is a "very complex picture" when it comes to recruitment and retention.