Written answers

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Department of Education and Skills

Third Level Admissions

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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309. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Teaching Council is requiring the completion of a two week Gaeltacht placement for certain cohorts of students before their qualifications from a college (details supplied) will be recognised in 2021 while for others that started six months before the requirement has been waived; the reason for this divergence and inequality of treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6500/20]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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376. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter regarding a college course (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6832/20]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 376 together.

As you may be aware, my Department and the Teaching Council issued a joint statement on 23 March 2020 advising that in light of the emergency measures being adopted in relation to Covid-19, students who are in the final year of their Initial Teacher Education programme will not be required to complete the usual Gaeltacht Learning Period in order to graduate in summer 2020.

In the case of student teachers in all other years of their ITE programme, the Gaeltacht requirement is being postponed, to be fulfilled at a later point in the programme.

Completion of the Gaeltacht placement is an important element of programmes of initial teacher education for primary teachers and therefore a requirement for registration with the Teaching Council.

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