Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I agree with Senator O'Toole. Unfortunately, a B.Ed. degree is of no use outside of the teaching area. People who have committed themselves to teacher training colleges will be snookered by this. If an exception is made for trainee gardaí, the same should be done, on the grounds of equity, for students who have committed themselves to the different colleges of education, whether Froebel, Coláiste Mhuire in Marino, Coláiste Phádraig in Drumcondra, Mary Immaculate College of Education in Limerick or the Church of Ireland college of education. I urge the Minister to give careful consideration to the amendment.