Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if research has been undertaken by his Department in conjunction with the colleges of education to determine whether those students who come into the colleges of education from a Gaeltacht background end up teaching in schools within or outside of the Gaeltacht area; his views on ascertaining this information if it is not already to hand in view of the existing points differential requirement for Gaeltacht and non-Gaeltacht students who wish to enter the various colleges of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33014/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Provision is made for up to ten per cent of the teacher training places in the Colleges of Education to be reserved for Gaeltacht applicants. This special entry competition for persons from the Gaeltacht is in accordance with Government policy for the support and promotion of the Gaeltachtaí and of the use of the Irish language as a community language. In order to achieve these objectives, it is essential to have a supply of fluent speakers of Irish teaching in Irish-medium schools. Given the fewer numbers of Gaeltacht applicants, points required for admission as a Gaeltacht applicant may be lower than otherwise required. However it is important to note that Gaeltacht applicants who secure places do not necessarily have lower points than other applicants.

There is no data available to support a precise estimate of the number of teachers in Gaeltacht schools who are originally from the Gaeltacht. To establish this with any degree of certainty would require a survey of teachers in Gaeltacht schools, which I do not envisage carrying out at present.