Written answers

Tuesday, 4 November 2008

Department of Education and Science

Grant Payments

10:00 pm

Photo of Michael D HigginsMichael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the withdrawal of the grant in respect of foreign qualified teachers to attend courses in the Gaeltacht; if his Department has put a [i]de facto[/i] recruiting ban on foreign teachers into the primary school system because they can no longer improve their standard of Irish to the required level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38018/08]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Persons wishing to be registered as teachers in this country must apply to the Teaching Council for recognition of their qualifications. Once all requirements have been met by applicants, and their qualifications are recognised by the Teaching Council, applicants may apply to be registered as primary or post-primary teachers.

In order to obtain full recognition as a primary teacher in this country, teachers must have satisfactorily completed a recognised primary teacher training course. In addition, Irish primary school teachers are class teachers as distinct from individual subject teachers and must be able to teach all aspects of the curriculum including the Irish language. Accordingly, fully recognised primary teachers must be qualified to teach the full range of primary school subjects to children aged 4 to 12 years.

Teachers trained outside the jurisdiction of the State, who do not possess an appropriate Irish language qualification, are currently granted a five year period of conditional recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools.

During this period these teachers are expected to obtain their Irish language qualification. In order to satisfy the Irish language requirement such teachers must pass an Irish language examination (Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge) and provide certification that they have resided in the Gaeltacht while attending an approved three-week course, or must complete an adaptation period.

Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These included the decision to discontinue the grant paid to foreign trained teachers for attending courses in the Gaeltacht.

The amount of the grant payable to foreign qualified teachers attending Irish courses in the Gaeltacht was a once-off payment of €431 per teacher. It should be noted that during the five year period allowed, such conditionally recognised teachers may teach in mainstream classes in national schools and are remunerated at the rate appropriate to that of a fully qualified primary school teacher.

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