Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 602: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6837/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Lisbon Convention and the EU Directive on Mutual Recognition of professional qualifications, Ireland is committed to giving appropriate recognition to qualifications from other countries.

In Ireland, the teaching profession is regulated for the purposes of employment as a teacher. EU Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications came into force on 20th October 2007 and ensures that professionals from any of the EU member states proposing to enter a regulated profession will have their qualifications and experience recognised appropriately. The Teaching Council of Ireland is the competent authority for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland and holds the register of teachers approved to teach in publicly funded schools in the State.

As a general principle, persons recognised to practice a regulated profession in their Member State of origin must be given recognition to practice that profession in a host EU Member State. However if there are shortfalls or significant gaps in the applicant's qualifications or experience vis-À-vis those required in the host Member State, the host State may require a compensatory measure — either an aptitude test or an adaptation period under supervised practice which addresses the shortfall. Therefore, such qualifications are examined on a case by case basis by the Teaching Council to ensure that the person concerned is appropriately qualified to teach in Irish schools. This is in line with normal practice under the EU Directive.

Neither I nor my Department are involved in the processing of such applications and I do not intend to intervene in this case.