Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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633. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the 2004 report Males into Primary Teaching published by the primary teaching committee; the actions that have been taken by her Department to implement the recommendations; the way in which these actions have been evaluated; the way in which the number of male teachers entering the primary teaching profession in the past five years compares with the data presented in the report; if she is satisfied with the number of males in the primary teaching profession; and if she will consider a taskforce to increase the number of male teachers in primary teaching. [17392/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The report ‘Males into Primary Teaching’ was published in 2005 and was part of a co-ordinated campaign at that time to encourage male and female students to enter the primary teaching profession.

I recognise the value of the teaching profession reflecting the diversity of Irish society and that it is positive for children to have female and male role models in schools.

The Teaching Transformscampaign, run in recent years is a valuable tool to promote the teaching profession and it has featured both male and female role models in order to encourage school students and undergraduates to consider teaching as a career and to take up programmes of initial teacher education. The campaign is supported by a dedicated webpage (www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms) which includes information for anyone interested in pursuing a career in teaching.

My Department is also currently working on the development of an Initial Teacher Education Policy Statement. It is envisaged that this policy statement will also consider the issue of diversity and inclusivity of the teaching profession including areas such as gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background.