Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on providing funding for third level students who are forced to seek places in private colleges due to the lack of available places in public colleges for niche courses, for example, postgraduate courses for primary teaching in colleges such as a college (details supplied) in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21246/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The level of student intake to the Colleges of Education is determined annually by my Department and it takes account of the supply of and demand for primary teachers.

In recent years the approved level of intake to the Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) has been 1,000 annually. All colleges providing Bachelor of Education courses are State funded and tuition fees are not levied on students.

In addition, some of the State funded Colleges of Education run an 18 month Graduate Diploma in Education course. This is a full-time course which enables third level graduates to train as primary teachers. The Deputy will be aware that for the intake to the 2008 post graduate diploma in education my Department approved an additional 210 places to bring the total allocation to 490 places.

The on-line Graduate Diploma in Primary Education, provided by Hibernia College and accredited by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) is a part time course and allows third level graduates to continue working while studying for their teaching qualification. The Graduate Diploma conferred at the end of this course, is recognised by my Department for the purposes of primary teaching.

I understand that the cost to students of the post graduate course in the Colleges of Education and Hibernia College are similar. Participants on these courses may avail of tax relief under section 473A, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, which provides tax relief, at the standard rate of tax, for tuition fees paid in respect of approved courses at approved colleges of higher education.

The intake into the Colleges of Education will continue to be kept under review by my Department to ensure that there is an adequate supply of teachers.