Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount spent on the completion of a comparative study on the AMI teacher training course and the courses in the colleges of education; when this report was completed; and when the complete report will be published. [30004/04]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 455: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if it is her intention to provide full recognition to AMI graduates trained here. [30005/04]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason, under Departmental policy, AMI graduates trained here are not allowed to sit an Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge. [30006/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 to 456, inclusive, together.

The content of courses delivered in the colleges of education and other teacher preparation institutions is considered by my Department before recognition of the course is awarded. In the case of the AMI three-year, full-time course, the content is not currently deemed to be sufficiently comprehensive to allow for recognition of the course to teach in mainstream primary schools. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for AMI graduates to sit an Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge. As a result, AMI graduates are limited to restricted recognition which enables them to teach in certain categories of special school and classes and as resource teachers. A process to explore the possibility of full recognition for AMI graduates has recently been initiated.

In response to a request from AMI representatives, my Department has recently initiated a process to explore the possibility of full recognition for AMI graduates. When the outcome of that process is known, I will communicate them to the Deputy. My Department has not commissioned any comparative study on the AMI teacher training course and the courses in the colleges of education.