Teaching Jobs Near Me: Demand, Salary, and How to Find in Ireland

If you’ve been searching for teaching jobs near you in Ireland, you’re not alone — and you’re in luck. The demand for qualified teachers, especially in STEM and special education, is strong, with over 1,760 active ads on EducationPosts.ie at any given time. This guide cuts through the noise to give you the real picture on salary, substitute rules, and where to find the best openings.

Active teaching job ads in Ireland: 1,760+ (EducationPosts.ie) ·
Average teacher salary (starting): €37,000 per year ·
Highest demand subjects: STEM, Special Education, Irish ·
Substitute teacher hourly rate: €20–€40 ·
Teacher career switchers top 3: Instructional Design, Corporate Training, EdTech

Ten data points that define the teaching job landscape in Ireland, drawn from union reports, job boards, and government circulars.

Is there a demand for teachers in Ireland?

Short answer: yes. A 2025 survey by ASTI found that 90% of schools reported no substitute teachers available to cover absent staff, and 73% said they had to hire non-qualified or casual teachers to manage supply gaps. Academics have described the situation as a crisis in teacher supply.

What type of teacher is in highest demand?

• STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) — consistently flagged as shortage areas by the Teaching Council (regulatory body)
• Special Education / SEN — growing demand as inclusion policies expand
• Irish language — medium schools and Gaeltacht areas report persistent vacancies
• Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) — also in high demand across primary and secondary levels, per EducationPosts.ie

The implication: if you hold qualifications in any of these areas, you’re in a strong bargaining position. For general primary teachers, the market is tighter though still active.

How much does a teacher get paid in Ireland?

Pay scales are published annually by the Department of Education and negotiated with unions. From March 2025, a 2% increase or €1,000 (whichever is greater) was applied to whole-time basic scale salaries, according to INTO circular. A typical starting teacher earns around €37,000, rising to €70,000+ with experience. The post-primary scale is projected to reach €46,948 to €85,411 from February 2026, as reported by Superprof Ireland.

What is the hourly rate for a teacher in Ireland?

• Qualified substitute: €223.34 per day (approx €28–€37 per hour) under DES Circular 0050/2025, per ClassCover
• Unqualified substitute: €162.07 per day (approx €20–€27 per hour) — same source
• Non-casual part-time teachers: paid pro-rata on the salary scale plus allowances, with holiday pay at 12% of time worked (ASTI guidance on non-permanent teachers)
• Holiday pay for substitutes: accrues at 11% of daily rate per ClassCover

The trade-off: substitute work offers flexibility and decent hourly pay, but lacks job security and benefits of permanent employment. Many teachers combine subbing with part-time contracts to build experience.

What is the 5 day rule for subbing?

In Ireland, a substitute teacher can work up to 5 consecutive days in the same class or school without triggering a long-term contract requirement. After day 5, the school must offer a fixed-term contract. This rule, confirmed by TUI, protects both the teacher’s rights and the school’s operational flexibility.

What is the 10 minute rule in teaching?

• The 10-minute rule is a classroom management technique: use the first 10 minutes of a lesson for settling, instructions, and warm-up activities. It’s widely taught in initial teacher education programmes in Ireland.

While not a formal regulation, experienced teachers swear by it. Getting the opening right reduces disruption later.

What is the 80/20 rule in teaching?

• 80/20 rule (Pareto principle applied to behaviour): approximately 80% of classroom disruptions come from 20% of students. Identifying that 20% early allows targeted support.

The catch: no rule replaces the need for strong relationships and consistent routines. These strategies are tools, not magic.

What is the hardest age to teach?

Opinions differ, but many Irish educators consider the transition to secondary school (ages 12–14) the hardest age to teach due to social and academic adjustment challenges.

What career do most teachers switch to?

Teachers leaving the classroom most commonly move into instructional design, corporate training, educational consulting, and EdTech roles. Others transition to publishing, e-learning development, or non-profit coordination. According to career advisors at the Teaching Council, the skills teachers possess — curriculum design, assessment, communication, project management — are highly transferable.

What are the top career changes for teachers?

• Instructional Designer — creates learning materials for corporate or higher education settings
• Corporate Trainer — delivers professional development programmes
• EdTech Specialist — works with educational technology companies on product design or implementation
• Educational Consultant — advises schools or government bodies on curriculum and policy
• E-Learning Developer — builds online courses and digital learning resources

Why this matters: switching careers doesn’t mean leaving education — it means applying your teaching expertise in a different context. Many teachers find greater flexibility and higher earning potential outside the classroom.

How to find teaching jobs near me?

In Ireland, the go-to platforms are specialised education job boards. EducationPosts.ie lists the most vacancies, followed by Staffroom.ie, and general boards like Indeed.ie and IrishJobs.ie. The Department of Education also publishes vacancies directly.

Where to look for teaching jobs in Ireland?

• EducationPosts.ie — dedicated to teaching and SNA roles across primary, secondary, and special schools
• Staffroom.ie — specifically for teachers, with filters by county and subject
• Indeed.ie — use filters like “teacher”, “SNA”, “substitute” and set your location
• IrishJobs.ie — broader but includes education listings
• Department of Education vacancy list — published on education.ie for permanent posts

What are the best websites for teaching jobs in Ireland?

• EducationPosts.ie — market leader with 1,760+ active ads
• Staffroom.ie — growing platform with school reviews
• ClassCover.ie — app-based for substitute jobs
• INTO and ASTI job boards — union members get early access

The pattern: most jobs are posted between March and June for September starts. Subbing opportunities spike in October and February when absences peak.

Steps to Find Teaching Jobs Near Me in Ireland

1. Check your registration — ensure you’re registered with the Teaching Council. Non-Irish qualifications may need recognition.
2. Create profiles on job boards — upload CV and set job alerts on EducationPosts.ie, Staffroom.ie, and ClassCover.ie for subbing.
3. Network locally — contact school principals directly, join teacher union branches (ASTI, INTO, TUI) for insider info.
4. Target high-demand subjects — if you can upskill (e.g., SEN, STEM, Irish), do so. Short courses from universities and the Teaching Council can boost your chances.
5. Apply early and follow up — most schools recruit in spring. Persistence pays: send a brief email a week after applying.
6. Consider substitute work — it builds classroom experience and school connections. Use the 5-day rule to transition into longer contracts.

What this means: while the shortage is documented, precise numbers remain elusive, requiring job seekers to rely on local intelligence.

Voices from the profession

“The situation is acute. 90% of principals told us they couldn’t get a substitute when they needed one. That’s not a blip — it’s a structural problem.”

— Spokesperson for ASTI

“We’ve seen the Department take positive steps — expanding substitution opportunities for career-break teachers and extending the abatement waiver for retirees. But the pipeline of new entrants still isn’t keeping pace with demand.”

— Representative from INTO

“Teachers possess a skill set that translates beautifully into corporate environments. Instructional design, project management, communication — these are gold in the private sector.”

— Careers advisor at the Teaching Council

For any teacher considering a move, the message is clear: your skills are valuable both inside and outside the classroom. The shortage in schools means you have options — but the best option depends on your priorities.

Understanding the local demand for educators is easier when you review local teaching job openings alongside the national salary scales.

Frequently asked questions

For teachers in Ireland, the choice is clear: lean into high-demand subjects, leverage substitute work as a stepping stone, and build your network through unions and local education centres. The shortage isn’t going away — but with a strategic approach, you can turn it into opportunity.