Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 788: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of teachers with restricted recognition currently working in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19975/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are 406 teachers with restricted recognition currently working in primary schools. Restricted recognition gives eligibility to teach in certain categories of special schools and in the categories of special classes in mainstream schools where Irish is not a curricular requirement. Teachers with such recognition are also entitled to take up positions in special schools for young offenders, youth encounter projects and special education projects. My Department grants restricted recognition to teachers who trained outside the State with a recognised primary teacher qualification, and teachers with certain approved Montessori qualifications. My Department also grants restricted recognition to teachers with a recognised post-primary qualification to enable them to teach in a special school where a proportion of the pupils attending the special school are of post-primary age and where second level programmes are being provided by the school.