A friend of mine recently did a career change like this
She got work in a primary school 1st for a year or two as a sub then applied in the U.K .
London, St marys strawberry hill and wales (aberstwyth i think) do a conversion course it takes a year to do it full time.
Following a conversion course you have 5 years to complete your irish exams
There are also courses in Ireland these are 18 months there is one in Pats
There is also a course run over the net by hibernia (n?) college
this is for people working in schools already as far as I know.
there was some controversy over the conversion courses in the last year or 2 because graduates from the education degree were finding it difficult to get jobs , I think the situation has got a bit better this year but last year was difficult , 500 new teachers promised in the book of estimates this year
so hopefully that will help