Written answers
Friday, 7 September 2018
Department of Education and Skills
Teachers' Professional Development
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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316. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his relationship with a service (details supplied); if the service reports to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36461/18]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a Department funded support service offering professional learning opportunities to teachers and school leaders in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas.
PDST was established in September 2010 arising from the amalgamation and restructuring of a number of stand-alone services.
PDST is fully funded by the Department of Education and Skills (DES). Its annual programme of work is approved by a Steering Group which is chaired by DES.
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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317. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of in-service training events for the State religious education programme run by a service (details supplied) for teachers in 2016 which involved Roman Catholic diocesan advisers or other similar members of other faith groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36462/18]
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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318. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the capacity in which members of religious faith groups attend in-service training events run by a service (details supplied). [36463/18]
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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319. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the remit under which a service (details supplied) attends religious faith formation training related events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36464/18]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to takes Questions Nos. 317 to 319, inclusive, together.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a Department funded support service offering professional learning opportunities to teachers and school leaders in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas, including Religious Education (RE). There are no in-service training events organised by PDST which involve Roman Catholic diocesan advisors or similar members of other faith groups. All PDST in-service for RE is organised and delivered by PDST personnel.
Teachers who are registered with the Teaching Council and who teach RE as a curricular subject attend PDST in-service training in RE. PDST do not invite members of religious faith groups to attend or present at such events.
In 2016, PDST ran 6 curricular RE in-service events as follows:-
March 9 - RE workshop in Blackrock Education Centre (EC)
April 27 - RE workshop in Cork EC
October 10 - RE workshop in Cork EC
October 11 - RE workshop in Dublin West EC
October 20 - RE workshop in Athlone EC
October 28 - RE workshop in Laois EC
On occasion, PDST is requested to provide a curricular input on RE at events run by other bodies including Diocesan events and those organised by the RTAI (Religion Teacher’s Association of Ireland). Any input provided by PDST is purely focused on the curricular subject of RE, teaching methodologies and Junior Certificate journal work for example.
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