Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has an indication at this stage that more men have applied for primary teaching courses as a result of the campaign to attract more men into teaching; her plans to assess the success of the campaign; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5743/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The decreasing numbers of males entering the teaching profession is an issue that is of concern to me. I believe that it is important to attract more men into teaching for a number of reasons, not least of which is the positive role models that teachers provide in children's lives and the desirability of having both male and female role models in our schools. I genuinely believe that teaching should be seen as an attractive profession for both men and women. Teaching is fulfilling work which makes a huge social contribution.

This Government wants to attract and reward the best teachers. In addition to increasing teachers' salaries, we have also undertaken other initiatives to enhance the status of the profession, in particular the establishment of the Teaching Council as a professional regulatory body. I have recently launched the report of the primary education committee, "Males into Primary Teaching". The primary education committee was established in order to examine a range of issues in respect of males entering primary teaching and to make recommendations on short-term and long-term strategies to increase the numbers in this regard.

The report draws on the professional insight of key experts in this area, as well as drawing on a number of relevant research studies. The report's findings will be of significant benefit in assisting the development of future policy in this important area. One of the key recommendations in the committee's report is that a co-ordinated promotion campaign, which would encourage boys as well as girls to enter primary teaching, should be undertaken. This promotion campaign commenced on 24 January 2006 and is currently ongoing.

As the Deputy will be aware, many students decide which career they would like to follow early on in their time at school and make subject choices based on this. Hence, the campaign is focused not just on those leaving school this year, but on those who will not leave for another few years. It is, therefore, too early to assess the effectiveness of the promotion campaign but my Department will work closely with the colleges of education to review the outcomes of the campaign in due course.