Department of Education and Youth and the Teaching Council launch landmark research study on teaching in Ireland
- Published on: 3 December 2025
- Last updated on: 3 December 2025
Teachers’ Professional Journeys: The First Decade is a groundbreaking longitudinal research study that is being launched today (3 December 2025).
The study has been jointly commissioned by the Department of Education and Youth and the Teaching Council and was jointly announced in April 2024. Since then, literature review, and research design stages have been completed.
The study is being officially launched today, in advance of the data collection stage which is due to commence shortly.
This first-of-its-kind research study on teaching in Ireland will explore teachers’ early career experiences as they complete initial teacher education and become established in the profession.
Running to 2030 at an overall cost of €2.8 million (incl. VAT), this is a very significant study which will inform and shape policy in a range of areas including initial teacher education, induction into the profession and early professional development.
The research will be conducted by a consortium comprising the University of Limerick (UL), the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Mary Immaculate College (MIC), under the leadership of Professor Paul Conway from University of Limerick, Professor Emer Smyth from the ESRI and Professor Aisling Leavy from Mary Immaculate College.
It will encompass all primary, post-primary and further education teacher graduates from the classes of 2019, 2022 and 2026, as well as other key stakeholders. The 2019 and 2022 cohorts, i.e. all initial teacher education graduates from primary, post-primary and further education and training programmes, can expect to be contacted initially in January via email and text. The survey will remain open until the end of February.
Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton said:
“This study is a vital piece of research that will provide both the Department and the Teaching Council with invaluable data directly from teachers and other education stakeholders. It will help us to understand the unique challenges faced by teachers in the early stages of their career and to shape policy on teacher education into the future.
"I would encourage as many relevant teachers and education stakeholders as possible to participate in this study to help us ensure that all teachers have the best possible start to their careers.”
The Chairperson of the Teaching Council, Eamon Dennehy, said:
“Teaching is at the heart of our society, shaping futures and inspiring lifelong learning. This landmark study reflects the strength of collaboration between the Department, the Teaching Council, and the wider education community. As a Council, we are deeply committed to promoting teaching as a valued and trusted profession, and this research will help us better understand and support teachers throughout their careers. I look forward to seeing the insights from this study inform policy and practice for the benefit of teachers, learners, and society as a whole”.
Acting Director of the Teaching Council, Phil Fox, said:
"As the regulator of the teaching profession, the Teaching Council plays a vital role in promoting and regulating professional standards in teaching. Our work is informed by evidence, and the Teachers’ Professional Journeys study will provide invaluable insights into the lived experiences of teachers during their first decade in the profession. These findings will help us shape policies that inform initial teacher education, induction, and ongoing professional learning. In doing so, we will continue to promote teaching as a trusted and respected profession.”
The research leads for the study Professors Paul Conway, Emer Smyth and Aisling Leavy said that:
“The Teachers’ Professional Journeys (TPJ) longitudinal study will provide a valuable opportunity to understand the learning and development of teachers during their first decade in the profession. Central to realising this potential will be the contributions of teachers and other stakeholders in enhancing our understanding of their experiences of teaching and teacher education. The study invites and encourages all primary, post-primary and FET initial teacher education graduates from the 2019, 2022 and 2026 cohorts to ensure their views and experiences are comprehensively reflected in the study findings. Crucially, TPJ is a unique opportunity for participating teachers to shape policies in teaching and teacher education as a vital stepping stone underpinning quality education."
Notes to Editor
Progress to date on the study
Three reports have been prepared by the TPJ research team:
- TPJ Report 1 (2024) comprises four reviews of literature.
- TPJ Report 2 (2025) covers study design and instrument development.
- TPJ Report 3 (2025) is focused on the perspectives of teacher education stakeholders across primary, post-primary and further education and training (FET).
Report 1 has been published on the TPJ website. Reports 2 and 3 are currently being finalised and are due to be published on the TPJ website shortly.
The website for the study can be accessed at www.tpjstudy.ie
Data collection details 2025-26
Survey for all ITE graduates from 2019 & 2022 along with current final year initial teacher education students, i.e. 2026 cohort.
- Survey data collection (online) for the 2026 initial teacher education (ITE) cohort will commence in December 2025 and remain open until the end of January 2026 - and is being undertaken via ITE providers in higher education institutions at primary, post-primary and FET levels.
- Survey data collection (online) for the 2019 and 2022 ITE graduates will commence in January 2026 and remain open until the end of February 2026. Participants will receive the survey via text and email.
1:1 Interviews with a sample of survey participants
- Interviews (online) for the 2019, 2022 and 2026 cohorts will take place between mid-February and mid-April. Participants will be contacted via email and/or text.
Focus group interviews with a sample of survey participants on key themes of interest
- Focus group interviews (online) for the 2019, 2022 and 2026 cohorts will take place between mid-February and mid-April. Participants will be contacted via email and/or text.
NOTE: As TPJ is a longitudinal study, the 2019 and 2022 cohorts will be surveyed and interviewed during two further waves of data collection, i.e. 2026-27 and 2027-28. In the case of the 2026 cohort, they will be surveyed and interviewed during three further waves of data collection, i.e. 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.
Background to the research study
The Department of Education and the Teaching Council decided to jointly commission longitudinal research into beginning teachers’ educational and professional journeys, taking account of significant developments impacting on teaching and teacher education.
Teachers have experienced significantly reconfigured initial teacher education programmes (now in a second cycle of accreditation, Céim, 2020) and a new model of induction (Droichead), and there is now a national framework for their´ ongoing professional learning (Cosán). There have also been significant national curriculum and policy developments, including:
- the development and implementation of new curricula at primary and post-primary,
- the publication of significant policies including:
- National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020,
- Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022,
- STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026,
- Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice 2018–2023,
- Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027,
- Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017- 2026,
- A Vision for Senior Cycle
This research therefore presents an important opportunity to investigate the influence of all of these developments, and other personal, professional, educational and systemic factors that define and shape teachers’ early careers and practice. It will adopt a ‘future focus’, identifying where and how the findings can inform and shape initial teacher education, induction and early professional development, to ensure all teachers have the best possible start to their careers.
The Teaching Council
The Teaching Council is the regulator of the Teaching Profession. Its role is to protect the public by promoting and regulating professional standards in teaching.
It fulfils that role by carrying out functions as follows:
I. Promoting teaching as a profession. Through its regulatory functions, the Council ensures that teaching remains a profession of high standards - one that is respected, valued, and recognised for its contribution to society. The Council affirms that every registered teacher is part of a prestigious, trusted and highly qualified profession.
II. Maintaining a register of qualified and vetted teachers in Ireland. This ensures that teachers meet the necessary qualification, standards, competencies, and character requirements for registration.
III. Establishing and upholding high standards for teachers in Ireland. The Council establishes standards across the entire career span for teachers including guidelines and codes related to their professional conduct, knowledge, skill, and competence.
IV. Ensuring the quality of initial teacher education programmes provided by higher education institutions in Ireland. This includes review and accreditation processes to maintain high standards of initial teacher education, which in turn contributes to the quality of teaching and learning in the country.
V. Establishing standards to guide and support induction processes that are required on a statutory basis and promoting lifelong learning for registered teachers. This sets systematic benchmarks supporting the early stages of teachers’ careers and encourages continuing professional learning throughout their career.
VI. Commissioning and conducting research, using data and evidence to inform decision making and policy development. This provides evidence-based recommendations and contributes to discussions on educational policies, practices, and reforms, with the intention of ensuring high standards in the teaching profession.