Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he still has concerns around the fact that the five primary schools colleges are controlled by religious orders; and if he has any plans to address this issue following the setting up of a forum on patronage and pluralism. [9879/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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It is the aim of my Department to ensure that there is an adequate supply of suitably qualified primary teachers to meet demand. Four of the five providers funded by my Department do not use religious affiliation as an entry requirement. St. Patrick's College, Mary Immaculate College, Froebel College and Coláiste Mhuire Marino were established as Catholic Colleges of Education. However, they each now have links with universities and accept students of all faiths and none. Entry to the Bachelor of Education is based on points achieved in the Leaving Certificate examination. The situation with the Church of Ireland College of Education is somewhat different as its remit is to provide an adequate supply of primary teachers capable of upholding and maintaining the distinctive ethos and spirit of Protestant national schools. Entry is based on points achieved in the Leaving Certificate Examination and appropriate numbers of places on the Bachelor of Education Degree programme are reserved for students who are members of recognised Churches in the Protestant tradition. Remaining places can be made available to other candidates.

The content of the Bachelor of Education programme is, currently, a matter for the individual Colleges of Education. In accordance with Section 38 of the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is empowered to review and professionally accredit programmes of initial teacher education. The Teaching Council has initiated reviews of a range of initial teacher education programmes and will consider course content in this context.

The Bachelor of Education courses provided by the Colleges of Education include compulsory modules on religious education. The content of these courses varies between the different institutions and, in general, has a strong focus on methodology. They aim to ensure that student teachers understand the spiritual and religious development of the primary school child in a general sense and that they are aware of the content and methodologies of the programmes developed by the Catholic Church, the Board of Education of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland and Educate Together. They also aim to ensure that the student teachers are enabled to plan an RE programme which can be applied in schools of varying traditions and ethos. As with all elements of the programme this area evolves and is reviewed by the Colleges in accordance with the changing educational landscape.

The recently established Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector offers a platform for consideration of the very many issues that arise in the context of divesting of patronage by the Catholic Church and transfer of patronage generally.

The Forum will take a multi-dimensional approach involving consultations with the key education stakeholders, including parents and other interested parties in order to ensure the widest possible consultation on this important issue. I would hope that the work of the Forum will deliver clear agreed specific modalities for the transfer of patronage which will allow for progress to be made on actual transfers during 2012.

I am confident that the Colleges of Education and the Teaching Council will respond to the outcomes of the Forum in reviewing course content and the requirements for same, respectively.