Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

There are two issues involved, the first is the current employment control framework which is part and parcel of the IMF troika deal under which we cannot hire new teachers or make permanent contracts for existing teachers temporarily employed until such time as all supernumerary teachers on panels are redeployed into classrooms where they are required.

Therefore, our hands are tied.

I will put the second question back to the Deputy. It is a requirement for students leaving our second level system - they started their leaving certificate examinations today - that, if they wish to apply to one of the five teaching colleges across the country, they need honours Irish. Otherwise, they will not be accepted. An Foras Pátrúnachta and the other groups within the gaelscoileanna movement will need to address the issue. Is the Deputy saying that a young person entering the training system with an honours Irish qualification in his or her leaving certificate does not have the standard of Irish required to teach in a gaelscoil upon coming out of the college three years later?

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