Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the essential qualifications required for all persons wishing to teach mathematics at second level education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36395/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A second level teacher must hold, in addition to the required teacher training, a suitable primary degree or equivalent award, from a nationally recognised university or similar third level college, which is adequate to enable the holder to teach to the highest level at least one subject from the second level schools curriculum. The duration of such a degree programme must be at least three years of full-time study or equivalent. A suitable degree for the purposes of teaching mathematics to the highest level, that is, to leaving certificate higher level, is one where a person has studied mathematics as a major subject in the degree extending over at least three years. The criteria by which qualifications are assessed for the purpose of teaching individual subjects, including mathematics, are set out in the document on the general requirements and subject specific criteria for teachers of recognised subjects and additional requirements for specialist teaching posts in mainstream post-primary education, which is available on my Department's website at the following address: http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/rcst_qualification_requirements.doc?language=EN.

Qualifications already approved, and the subject or subjects for which they are recognised, are set out in the Registration Council booklet Appointment to an incremental position in a Secondary School — Necessity for approval of qualifications by the Registration Council. This booklet is available on my Department's website at the following address: http://www.education.ie/servlet/ blobservlet/rcst_auto_cov.doc?language=EN.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 432: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of students who have sat an scrúdú le haghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge each year from 1998 to date in 2005; the number of students who have passed; the number of students who have failed; the number of times students have had to repeat some or part of the exam; the cost to the Department of these exams; and the number of students in any of these groups that qualified as teachers outside the State. [36402/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Teachers trained outside the jurisdiction of the State, whose qualifications have been assessed and accepted by my Department, but who do not possess an appropriate Irish language qualification, are granted a five year period of provisional recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools. During this period these teachers are expected to obtain their Irish language qualification, scrúdú le haghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge, SCG, in order to become fully recognised. They must also provide certification that they have resided in the Gaeltacht while attending an approved three-week course or its aggregated equivalent.

The following tables detail the number of candidates who sat for, passed and failed the SCG examination from 1998 to date in 2005. Information on the number of times candidates repeat some or part of the examination is not readily available in my Department. Such a breakdown would require an inordinate amount of official time to prepare. Up to 2004, my Department was responsible for administering the SCG examination. The cost each year has been in the order of €100,000. In 2005, Coláiste Mhuire Marino was responsible for the SCG examination. My Department is making a contribution of the order of €306,000 to Coláiste Mhuire towards the costs involved. It should be noted that this contribution includes provision for the once-off costs associated with the development of courses, the training of tutors and the provision of materials etc. in addition to the cost of running the examination. My Department also funds the Education Centre Network, 21 full-time centres and nine part-time centres to deliver local courses based on locally identified needs and Irish language courses form a part of this local course provision.