Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for Education and Skills for coming to the House to respond to my issue in person. I wish to raise the issue of recognition for Montessori teachers to teach in special education primary schools and in special education across the country. There is currently one school, St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland, which carries out a level 8 qualification for teachers over four years to become qualified Montessori teachers. Until now, graduates from this level 8 course have been in a position to teach special classes in primary schools and students with special educational needs and have been able to take up positions in special education schools, of which there are some 150 across the country. In the consultation currently being carried out by the teaching council to review the regulations in accordance with the 2001 and 2012 Teaching Council Acts, I understand there is a proposal to remove regulation 3, under which those graduates of St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland currently get restricted registration to enable them to teach in primary schools and special education schools.

Will the Minister update the House on the current position with regard to the Teaching Council's proposals to change this regulation? Will the Minister confirm whether the students who are due to start the course with Saint Nicholas Montessori College Ireland this coming September will have the same recognition as previous graduates when they graduate in 2019?

In light of the Minister's recent announcement of an early years education advisory group, which has been asked to look at the development of possible qualification structures in the early years sector and is now carrying out that work, will she await the outcome of its report before deciding to remove the current recognition graduates of the Montessori college enjoy? I know the Minister has a particular affinity with this sector, having worked in it in the past, and that she knows it very well. I look forward to her response.

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