Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an up to date assessment on Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht and the reason the Mary Immaculate College in Limerick feels it necessary to put on an extra Gaeilge module this semester; and the reason the cost is so high to avail of this training. [40043/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Changes to the structure and content of the Gaeltacht Placement arose from the Teaching Council's accreditation criteria, published in June 2011 (Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers) which provide, inter alia, for "an extended and reconceptualised Gaeltacht residency which will now form part of the overall programme and be under the direct jurisdiction of the teacher education providers." My Department supports the changes as contributing to overall quality improvement in initial teacher education, however, I do not have a role in assessing the Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht.

Initial teacher education providers such as Mary Immaculate College have responsibility for quality assuring the content, teaching and assessment of the Gaeltacht element of initial teacher education programmes. These must comply with the Teaching Council's criteria but the exact format and content of the courses, including the number of modules delivered to students, is a matter for the institutions themselves. Any concerns in this regard should be taken up directly with the provider in the first instance.

I can appreciate that supporting a student through third level education can be challenging. The decision to abolish the gaeltacht placement grant was not taken lightly and was publicised in advance of implementation so that students would be aware of the new arrangements before embarking on Initial Teacher Education programmes. I am not in a position to reinstate funding to this area.