Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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461. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on making an exemption from compulsory Irish examinations for higher diplomas in education in the case of foreign language teachers. [41216/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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There are no compulsory Irish exams for post primary teachers of foreign languages. Post Primary teachers of Irish are required to meet the Subject Specific Criteria as set down by the Teaching Council.

A person who has completed a programme of primary initial teacher education outside of the Republic of Ireland, and who is successful in his/her application for registration with the Teaching Council, is required to demonstrate his/her competence in teaching the Irish language and the primary curriculum through the medium of Irish. Conditional registration is granted by the Teaching Council to those in the process of completing this requirement.

My Department specifies the minimum academic requirements for entry to primary initial teacher education programmes in the State. As part of these requirements, all candidates, including school leavers, mature students and university graduates, must have a minimum of a Grade C in Higher Level in Irish in the Leaving Certificate, or an approved equivalent.

This requirement embodies both the written and oral element of a student's proficiency in Irish and my Department considers it to be the minimum standard in Irish necessary for students entering a programme of primary initial teacher education which will equip them to teach Irish to pupils at all levels of a primary school.