Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú:

The rationale behind it was that we were trying to build up an educated teaching force and going back in time there were different requirements to become a primary teacher. To the best of my knowledge, in the 1920s there was a two-year diploma in the colleges of education. Qualification and requirements in that respect have increased. A four-year honours bachelor degree is now required for entry into the teaching profession. Therefore, requirements for entry into the profession have increased over time. We have sought to ensure that teachers upskill and we consider that to be very important. All international evidence shows that the outcomes from education depend on the effectiveness of the teaching of teachers. We very much support the upskilling of teachers and the qualifications allowance can be seen in that context as well.