Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason persons from Gaeltacht areas require fewer points for teaching than persons in other areas (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23161/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Colleges of Education operate a number of reduced points and direct entry schemes including streams for mature students, students from disadvantaged areas and students eligible under the Gaeltacht scheme. Provision is made for up to ten per cent of the teacher training places in the Colleges of Education to be reserved for applicants who reside in the officially designated Gaeltacht, and the normal language of whose home is Irish. The special entry competition 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 ensure an adequate supply of teachers for the schools in the Gaeltacht. It is also considered highly desirable that children from Gaeltacht areas would be taught by teachers who are native speakers of the dialect spoken by the children in order to maintain and develop children's fluency in the local dialect.

The scheme requires the reservation of up to 10% of places on teacher training courses for Gaeltacht applicants with any places not being taken up distributed to mainstream candidates. The scheme does not provide for a difference in entry points depending on candidate; rather this is dictated by market forces of supply and demand and is within the remit of the Central Applications Office. 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 mainstream applicants.

The Teaching Council now has a remit to advise the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the minimum standards of educational qualifications required for entry into programmes of teacher education and has been asked, when formulating its advice on entry standards, to provide specific advice on the Gaeltacht entry scheme.