Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The criteria for entry to the professional diploma in mathematics for teachers, a course which is contracted to a number of universities to provide, excludes teachers who are not under contract. Many full qualified teachers are unable to find work due to the changes in the pupil-teacher ratio regime in recent years. They are highly qualified and skilled and ready to take up a job when it becomes available. The Department of Education and Skills will be well aware that the student cohort is increasing as a result of population growth and jobs will become available in the not too distant future even if the current pupil-teacher ratio is retained. It is unfair that teachers who are not in full-time employment are being refused entry to this course. It would be wise during a period of unemployment for teachers to use the opportunity to upskill and be in a position to take on a more enhanced role as soon as a position becomes available.

I can understand why places on the diploma course would be offered to those in full-time employment, thereby, increasing the impact on the student population but, in the same way the Government has examined ways of providing various schemes, including JobBridge, for other unemployed individuals, it would be right to broaden access to this course by amending the criteria in order that highly qualified individuals with teaching skills in mathematics would be facilitated during the period they are unemployed and be in a position to take on a more enhanced role when jobs become available. This is not only about considering the concerns of teachers because it is important that as the demand for mathematics increases, we have the most highly skilled people available to take pupils to the next level. There has been a reversal in the move away from science subjects and mathematics again this year. That is important in the quest to produce skilled graduates for the economy enabling us to retain and assist large IT companies to maintain there bases here. They provide a significant return to the economy through the provision of jobs, the generation of taxes etc.

I appeal to the Minister to consider broadening the entry criteria for the professional diploma in mathematics for teachers, to get rid of the exclusion for those teachers who are not under contract and to provide the funding necessary, or whatever it takes, to include those who want to make a difference and want to utilise their time out of work to improve their skills. It is not only about them, because the phenomenal benefits that such skills improvement will have on the broader economy can assist in our economic recovery.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, who is unavoidably absent. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which is one in which I have a personal interest, having taught mathematics for some time in a former career.

As no doubt this House will be aware, the teaching and learning of mathematics, including the level of qualification of teachers of mathematics in Irish classrooms, has been subject to much scrutiny in recent years. For example, research from a number of sources has indicated that there is a cohort of post-primary teachers of mathematics who do not have mathematics to degree level.

The report of the Project Maths implementation support group was published in June 2010. This group was an industry-education partnership set up under the auspices of the Department of Education and Skills to advise on Project Maths. The group recommended that postgraduate courses be provided for current teachers of mathematics who do not hold an appropriate qualification. The professional diploma in mathematics for teaching is designed to address this recommendation. In 2012, following a tendering process, a consortium comprising the Centre for Excellence in Mathematics Education in the University of Limerick and the National University of Ireland, Galway, was awarded the contract to develop this programme.

The course is a part-time two-year university-accredited professional diploma at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications. It is a blended learning programme based on local delivery for the face-to-face elements as well as online modules. It is available to teachers nationwide free of charge, with specific provision for teachers in Irish-medium schools, which, incidentally, I welcome. Funding of almost €3.3 million has been made available to date for this programme. The course began in September 2012 with 323 teachers, who are now about to embark on their second year of this programme of study. This September, 302 teachers commenced the course as the second intake.

As regards eligibility, an applicant must meet the following criteria: proof of registration with the Teaching Council; confirmation that the applicant is teaching in a recognised post-primary school; confirmation in writing from the principal of his or her school confirming that the teacher is currently teaching mathematics and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future; and a declaration that the applicant's existing qualifications are not sufficient to meet Teaching Council criteria for the purposes of teaching of mathematics at post-primary level. The criteria reflect the aim of the programme to improve the skills of those teachers who are currently in our classrooms teaching mathematics, but who are out of field.

All aspects of the programme are subject to regular review by a monitoring group comprising representatives of the Department of Education and Skills and the contractor. Policy in this important area will also be informed by the work of the Inspectorate. In addition, Deputy Sherlock, Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, has visited the University of Limerick and met some of the teacher participants. He was struck by their dedication and enthusiasm for teaching mathematics. Participation in this demanding course reflects their professional attitude to professional development and improving practice and standards in their classrooms, and they are to be commended on this.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for an overview of the programme. While I welcome his comments, unfortunately, they show no intent to review the criteria.

He identified the eligibility criteria that applicants must meet. However, I return to what I stated in my opening comments, that those teachers are out of field - in other words, out of employment. They are not under contract in the classroom because of the unavailability of work for them. They are qualified to teach mathematics but they do not have a full-time job, not by choice but because of the situation in which they find themselves.

I appeal to the Minister to review the criteria to give special consideration to those teachers who are not in contract, whose qualifications are not sufficient to meet the Teaching Council's criteria - that can be established - and who intend to teach mathematics as soon as a job becomes available, and put them in a position in which they will use the period of time in which they are out of work to improve their skills. This would, in the first instance, improve their chances of getting a job but, more importantly, would put them in a position of being able to teach mathematics at an advanced level to the cohort of students that is coming through the schools. This would improve the capability of the education system, with a consequent a positive impact on economic activity and our ability to attract the kind of foreign investment that is dependent on the skill sets of graduates, and ensure that we are ready to meet the changing and dynamic nature of the demands of that foreign investment.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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The fact that the current cohort of more than 600 teachers are participating in the course reflects the commitment of current post-primary teachers of mathematics to upgrade their skills to recognised levels. The fact that the Government has allocated €3.3 million towards the scheme is an indication of its commitment to the teaching of mathematics and the upgrading of standards, if I can put it that way.

In view of the financial difficulties in which we find ourselves, and while it is worthy that those who are not yet teaching should have the opportunity, priority should be given to teachers who are already in the field - in the classroom - and that is where our priorities lie. It does not negate the Deputy's view that others want to do it, but as a former teacher my opinion is that priority, in view of the shortcomings we have, must be given to those who are already in the classrooms. I and the Minister welcome the fact that more than 600 people have agreed to participate in this upgrading of their skills, but what the Deputy has said will be borne in mind.