Complaints Procedure

The complaints and feedback procedures contained in this document relate to instances where you believe that you have received an unsatisfactory service.

How to make a complaint relating to standards of service

We are committed to maintaining a high standard of service in carrying out The Teaching Council’s statutory functions. The Council takes complaints about standards of service seriously. If you are dissatisfied with the standard of any service we have provided, we would like to hear about it so that we can investigate the matter fully and have the opportunity to put matters right. We will use your comments and feedback to improve our service.

Stage 1

To resolve a complaint about the standard of service provided, it is recommended that, in the first instance, you contact the relevant section of the Teaching Council dealing with your application or query. In most cases the complaint will be resolved at this point. See the Contact Us page on www.teachingcouncil.ie.

Stage 2

If you are not satisfied with the response at Stage 1, you may direct your complaint to our Customer Relations Officer. Complaints at this stage must be made in writing to:

Customer Relations Officer
The Teaching Council
Block A, Maynooth Business Campus,
Maynooth, Co. Kildare, W23 Y7X0.
or
Email: customerrelations@teachingcouncil.ie.

The Customer Relations Officer will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days and will liaise with you in relation to your complaint and respond to you in writing once the matter has been fully investigated. It is expected that the complaint will be investigated within twenty working days.

Stage 3

If you are still unhappy with the response at Stage 2, you may direct your complaint for the attention of the Deputy Director in writing to:

Deputy Director
The Teaching Council
Block A, Maynooth Business Campus,
Maynooth, Co. Kildare, W23 Y7X0.
or
Email: info@teachingcouncil.ie

How to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman examines complaints from members of the public who believe they have been unfairly treated by certain public service providers. The Teaching Council falls under the remit of the Office of the Ombudsman which means that persons may make a complaint about The Teaching Council to the Ombudsman relating to the performance of its administrative functions and if that action has resulted in maladministration and an adverse effect. The Office of the Ombudsman may be contacted as follows:

Address: 18 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, D02 HE97
Phone: +353-1-639 5600 Lo-call: 1890 223030
Email: info@ombudsman.ie
Website: www.ombudsman.ie

A registered teacher or registration applicant may be dissatisfied with the decision made by Council on his/her application for registration or renewal of registration. In such circumstances separate processes apply for seeking a review of that decision. This may arise, where a teacher is denied registration or has conditions applied to his/her registration.

How to make a complaint about registration decisions.

For more detailed information on how to make a complaint about a registration decision, please refer to the Council’s Review of Decision process on the Teaching Council website.

A separate process applies in the case of complaints made about registered teachers regarding their fitness to teach. This process is handled by the Professional Standards section of the Council in accordance with Part 5 of the Teaching Council Act, which sets out the Council’s functions with regard to receiving complaints about registered teachers, conduct investigations, hold inquiries, where deemed required, and impose sanctions, if appropriate.

How to make a complaint about a Registered Teacher

For more detailed information on how to make a complaint about a Registered Teacher, please refer to the Fitness to Teach Section on the Teaching Council website.

We are committed to consulting with our customers and to asking them how we are doing. If customers want to make a suggestion on how we could improve our service, they can
email customerrelations@teachingcouncil.ie

We can help if you:

• Provide any information you have which is relevant to your inquiry
• Provide any relevant documents and reference numbers you have
• Follow any checklists or guidelines which you have been given
• Treat our staff and other customers with courtesy and respect