Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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I wish to share my time with Senator Sean D. Barrett.

Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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The Church of Ireland College of Education, which is based in Rathmines, was established in 1811 and is one of the oldest teacher training colleges in the country, with a proud and distinctive record of training primary school teachers who provide great educational opportunities for children throughout the country.

This matter relates to a report commissioned by the Minister for Education and Skills, which was undertaken by a group of international experts and focuses on teacher training colleges throughout the country. One of the recommendations contained in that report is that St. Patrick's College in Dublin be merged with Dublin City University and the Mater Dei Institute and that a new centre be based at the St. Patrick's College campus in north Dublin. The Church of Ireland College of Education is also involved in the process and is to be amalgamated into a new institute of education in Drumcondra. I understand the Minister supports this recommendation. The report has been sent to the Higher Education Authority, which has been asked to put meat on the bones of the recommendations and report back to the Minister. I am not sure whether the Minister has received that report yet. Following receipt of the report from the HEA, the Minister will bring its recommendations and findings to Cabinet.

The Church of Ireland teacher training college in Rathmines is unique in that it provides for a minority religious ethos in this State. Therefore, the individuals who attend the college are predominantly of Church of Ireland origin.

There would be a constitutional issue if the college were to be merged with another, in this instance a Catholic one, as it would dilute the ethos of a minority religion. That would present a constitutional challenge and be a step too far. All religions should be catered for equally under the Constitution which the Government has a responsibility to uphold on behalf of the people. If any such amalgamation takes place, it will be contrary to what is written and enshrined in the Constitution.

There was an attack on Church of Ireland and Protestant primary schools in last year's budget in that smaller schools were attacked. This had a disproportionate effect on Church of Ireland schools. This represents a further attack. The Minister of State might indicate what is the position.

Sean Barrett (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State and thank Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill for sharing time with me.

I wish to relate some extra information. Last night I attended a meeting of senior academics and fellows in Trinity College Dublin at which there was great dismay that TCD could lose its connection with teacher training. Surely the highest ranking university could have no more important task than linking with the training of teachers. There is dismay and also confusion as to how this happened. How did friends fall out? It would certainly be the view of that body of academics that it would be a bad day for Ireland were this to happen. It is a very important job of any university to relate to people up to the age of 14 years in post-primary schools and any abdication of that role would be bad for Trinity College Dublin, the Church of Ireland College of Education and Ireland as a whole.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I thank the Senators for raising it.

The Minister has accepted the recommendations set out in a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority on the structures for initial teacher education, ITE. The purpose of the report was to identify new structures to improve initial teacher education in Ireland in order that it might be comparable with the best in the world. The international panel of education experts which conducted the review recommended that teacher education be provided in six centres for teacher education. Currently, there are 19 State-funded providers of ITE and three non-State funded providers, offering more than 40 college programmes in primary and post-primary teaching.

Changes are under way to the content and length of teacher education, with a greater emphasis on literacy, numeracy and pedagogical skills. The structural changes will complement the curricular reforms under way and assist in positioning Ireland at the forefront of teacher education. We know from research that the quality of our education system cannot exceed the quality of our teachers, which is why the Minister is driving changes at both a structural and content level in teacher education. The new collaborations recommended by the international panel will mean that there will be a smaller number of centres for ITE, but they will offer education across multiple sectors, from early childhood to primary and post-primary to adult education. These centres of teacher education will also possess a critical mass in terms of research capacity which is not always possible in smaller institutions. The new configurations will mean that strong research bases will be cemented in each centre. The report recommends the following configurations: Dublin City University - St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra and the Mater Dei Institute of Education; Trinity College Dublin - Marino Institute of Education, University College Dublin and the National College of Art and Design; National University of Ireland, Maynooth - Froebel College; University of Limerick - Mary Immaculate College and the Limerick Institute of Technology; University College Cork - Cork Institute of Technology; and the National University of Ireland, Galway - St. Angela's College, Sligo.

The review panel also suggested the Church of Ireland College of Education would be suitably positioned to join any of the first three new configurations. The Minister has made it clear to the college authorities that while he cannot support them remaining on their current campus, he is happy for them to negotiate their own destiny, consistent with their desire to protect their ethos within the broad parameters of the HEA report. The college has signalled its intention to join DCU, St Patrick's College, Drumcondra and the Mater Dei Institute.

The review is in keeping with the recommendations in the national strategy of higher education 2030, or the Hunt report, which sees local, regional and international collaboration as the key to higher education system development. It will also form part of a wider review of the entire higher education landscape which is under way by the HEA.

Ireland continues to attract the highest calibre of students into the teaching profession. The Minister believes the restructuring of teacher education which he has initiated will mean these top performing students will receive an education that will equip them to become the best possible teachers. He has asked the HEA to submit a detailed report before the end of the year on how to implement the recommendations of the panel. It is too early to set out precise timelines or plans for individual colleges. The Minister will consider the implementation plan from the HEA in full and will then report back to the Cabinet in the new year with more formal proposals, including proposals for the Church of Ireland College of Education.

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State and appreciate her response was a script from the Department of Education and Skills. At least, no decision has been made - that is the only thing we can say. However, the Minister has outlined that he cannot support the Church of Ireland College of Education remaining on its current campus where it has been located since 1969. Management of the college may have one view, but from speaking to parents and clergy members of the Church of Ireland, I know they have a very different one. This should be taken into consideration.

I refer to the amalgamation of the NUIG with St. Angela's College in Sligo. That is a non-runner. The best possible attainment in educational output and teacher training is achieved at the college. Thirteen students apply for every place on offer at the college. If it were to be amalgamated with the university in Galway, there would be no teacher training college north of a line running from Dublin to Galway. This would be a retrograde step and a campaign is under way in that regard.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I reiterate that I will convey to the Minister the concerns of the Senators in regard to St. Angela's College, Sligo and the Church of Ireland College of Education.