Mayo teachers in line for €2,000 reimbursement

Newly qualified Mayo teachers may be eligible for a €2,000 refund under a new education scheme designed to encourage teaching as a career.

Castlebar-based Fine Gael TD and Minister of State, Alan Dillon TD, has highlighted that newly qualified Mayo teachers, who have completed a €2,000 Professional Masters in Education (PME), are eligible for a €2,000 bursary.

“My colleague, the Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee TD, has announced the Professional Master’s in Education (PME) Refund Scheme, which will see newly qualified teachers receive a €2,000 payment in recognition of the additional costs that they have undertaken in completing the Masters.

READ: Health Minister acknowledges ‘extraordinary’ frustration of Mayo homes still without power

“This payment is to encourage more people to become teachers, by reducing some of the financial burden as they begin their careers. We want to do everything possible to encourage teaching as a career and help to support Mayo schools in their recruitment of teachers,” said the Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Circular Economy.

The scheme will be available for the 2024/25 school year and newly qualified teachers who completed their PME in 2024 and have taught for a minimum period during the school year can apply for the payment. The scheme will be reviewed to monitor its effectiveness and to inform the development of other initiatives.

Minister Dillon continued: “This is one of several steps taken by the Department of Education to increase the number of teachers, both at primary and post-primary levels. It highlights the Government’s commitment to ensuring our education system supports all children and young people to reach their full potential.”

The Department of Education has published guidance on the scheme, including who is eligible and how to apply. You can find the details on the www.gov.ie website.