Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person who is undertaking a degree course in a particular discipline can change courses and pursue a degree in primary school teaching in 2004 in one of the recognised training colleges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24415/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department specifies the minimum academic requirements for entry to primary teacher training courses, the Bachelor of Education degree programme, provided in the five colleges of education. The selection process for school leavers is through the Central Applications Office. Places on the Bachelor of Education degree programme are determined by an order of merit list based on points achieved in the leaving certificate examination in a single sitting.

On that basis, the student in question must make a new application through the CAO for the Bachelor of Education degree course of their choice to commence that course in the 2005-06 academic year. I am not aware of any general arrangements for the automatic transfer of students into primary teacher training from other undergraduate courses of study. However, the Deputy may wish to contact officials in my Department who can pass details of the case in question to the colleges for examination.

Special provision is made for the annual recruitment of mature students to the Bachelor of Education degree programme in the colleges of education. There is a minimum age limit of 23 years for this intake. The minimum academic requirements for this method entry are generally the same as those for school leavers. Once mature applicants have satisfied the minimum entry requirements, selection is on the basis of a competitive interview and an oral Irish test. Mature students can also apply in the normal way through the CAO system. There is also a postgraduate entry to teacher training in the five colleges of education which is open to graduates and is of 18 months' duration.