Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider the retention of home economic teacher training at St Angela's Campus, Sligo and if he will provide St Angela's and NUIG an opportunity to demonstrate their capacity to fulfill the vision of the ITE report in the most cost effective manner possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50600/12]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will intervene in any efforts by the Higher Education Authority to remove home economics initial teacher education from a campus (details supplied) in County Sligo and relocating same to NUI Galway Campus; if he acknowledges that the college has a highly reputable international standing within home economics and home economics teacher education with regard to research and academic subject expertise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50771/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 122 together.

I have accepted the recommendations set out in a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the structures of initial teacher education. The purpose of the report, which I requested, was to identify new possible structures to improve initial teacher education in Ireland so that it is comparable with the best in the world.

The international panel of education experts recommended that teacher education be provided in six "centres for teacher education". Currently there are 19 state funded providers of ITE (and three non-state funded) offering more than 40 college programmes in primary and post-primary teaching. The new collaborations recommended by the international panel will mean that a smaller number of centres for ITE exist, but that they offer education across multiple sectors from early childhood to primary, to post primary to adult education. These centres for teacher education will also possess a critical mass in terms of research capacity which is not always possible in smaller institutions. The new configurations will mean strong research bases can be created in each centre.