Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Renua Ireland)
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757. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to deal with a matter (details supplied) regarding a teaching degree; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46597/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Initial teacher education programmes for primary and post-primary teachers are facilitated through a range of concurrent (undergraduate) and consecutive (postgraduate) programmes. Minimum entry requirements for programmes of primary initial teacher education are set by my Department, in consultation with the Teaching Council. Applications for undergraduate programmes (4 year Bachelor of Education) are made through the Central Applications Office (CAO) and selection is based on the CAO points system. Places on the post graduate programmes are awarded on the basis of qualifications, an interview and an oral examination in Irish. Since September 2014, the 2 year Professional Masters of Education (PME) has replaced the 18 month Graduate Diploma in Education.

As part of the minimum academic 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. All candidates for Primary initial teacher education post graduate programmes must hold an Honours Bachelor Degree (Major Award at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications) or a major award at Level 9 or a major award at Level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications.