Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support the amendment. The point about teacher training is well made. Most teachers are now trained by a private online training college, which is owned by a book company. The Minister was in my part of the world not long ago at the Marino Institute of Education. When we are trying to change the nature of teaching and teachers, ensure the teaching profession is reflective of the children being taught and encourage those from different backgrounds, including disadvantaged, Traveller, migrant and disability backgrounds, to provide that public service remit, having most of our teachers coming from a college outside of the public sphere is not something we should welcome. The amendment tabled by Deputy Conway-Walsh is deserving of support.

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