Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

The B.Ed. degree consists of education and arts elements. While one may have qualified with a B.Ed. degree including, for example, French, the arts content would only account for, at best, an exception for a first year arts course at UCD. A person with a B.Ed. degree in French from St. Patrick's College who wishes to do a pure French degree in university must go back into second year. The point is that because the degree is specific to teaching, it is ultimately of little value outside the teaching profession.

Amendment put.