Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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914. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason student teachers at a college (details supplied) are required to pay €350 to attend a Gaeltacht course while student teachers attending State-funded colleges can do so for free; if the Gaeltacht course is compulsory in order to qualify as a teacher; if she will consider removing the cost for all students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18163/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education.

Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of the Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for undergraduate and post-graduate students in State-funded primary ITE programmes, with effect from the 2020/2021 academic year. The grant was previously funded by my Department up to the 2012/2013 academic year, when it was ceased due to financial constraints.

The re-introduced grant will cover the cost of the undertaking the fortnightly online course in 2021. The re-introduced grant is being made available for undergraduate and post-graduate students in State-funded primary ITE programmes. This is in line with normal practice for other grant payments per students qualifying requirements.

In relation to the cost of the online programme for students of the private college provider, the Department of Education responded to a proposal from the college referred to by the Deputy confirming that both the Department and the Teaching Council had no issue with that college, working in collaboration with a Gaeltacht College(s) to provide an online programme based on the agreed syllabus for their own students and to negotiate and set the cost for undertaking that programme for their own students. The Department understands that College has now organised the provision of an online GLP programme for all of their students in collaboration with one Gaeltacht College.