Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

There is nothing in the studies carried out by the Department to show that socioeconomic issues are relevant to the outcomes. I will give a simple example of what has been happening. We have low levels of literacy because of the lack of reading material in homes, yet the majority of pupils had a television in the bedroom. The issue is what is prioritised, not money. Is it books or television? We will have to target our resources, including our teaching acumen, at literacy and numeracy. When it comes to professional development the new proposals make it compulsory for teachers to participate every three years and every five years in literacy and numeracy courses. I have also changed the entry requirements for those who wish to enter teaching at primary and post-primary level. I will insist that teaching degrees be extended to four years and they must comprise at least two years of education teaching practice. The H-Dip is not adequate.

I believe an entry requirement for primary teaching should be a minimum of a pass in honours mathematics as well as in honours English and Irish. It is wrong that the Department does not have access to the test results of every school in the State. The unions have opposed this ad infinitum. I do not believe in league tables because I do not like them. However, this is wrong and that is why it is compulsory that all the results from primary and post-primary schools be centrally assessed within the Department. I am, therefore, moving towards improved teaching qualifications and curricular change with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy and I will also pursue the curriculum from preschool into junior and high infants.

See this speech in context