Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the large cohort of students on post-primary ITE programmes, if she will address the inequity whereby Gaeilge student teachers must pay Gaeltacht fees in order to complete the immersive education experience required for registration with the Teaching Council (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13363/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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 as part of the ITE programme. This requirement is outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. The programmes shall follow Na Siollabais Oifigiúla do na Tréimhsí Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht do Mhic Léinn Oideachais. 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.

As outlined in the Post Primary Curricular Subject Requirements, prior to completion of their teacher education studies, post-primary student teachers should (where relevant) provide verifiable evidence of an immersive educational experience in the curricular language that they are studying of a minimum of four weeks duration. This may be accessed in two blocks, each of which must be at least two weeks. In the case of Gaeilge, at least one of these blocks must be in a Gaeltacht setting with the option of one block in an Irish medium setting.

The immersive educational experience(s) for Gaeilge must be one of the following:

• attending an Irish language course

• working as a staff member in an educational setting in the Gaeltacht

• conducting an action research project which is of relevance to their teaching studies

• engaging in School Placement.

With regards to post primary student teachers, the requirement to attend at a programme of study in a Gaeltacht college is only one of the four options available to satisfy the evidence of an immersive educational experience in Gaeilge. These options apply equally to all students.

It is a matter for individual institutions providing post-primary ITE programmes to put in place their own requirements, once they fit within the overall Teaching Council requirements.

Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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343. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the Gaeltacht learning period grant for primary ITE programmes, if he will consider the implementation of a similar grant model for post-primary ITE programmes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13364/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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 as part of the ITE programme. This requirement is outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education and such programmes must follow Na Siollabais Oifigiúla do na Tréimhsí Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht do Mhic Léinn Oideachais.

As outlined in the Post Primary Curricular Subject Requirements, prior to completion of their teacher education studies, post-primary student teachers should (where relevant) provide verifiable evidence of an immersive educational experience in the curricular language that they are studying of a minimum of four weeks duration. This may be accessed in two blocks, each of which must be at least two weeks. In the case of Gaeilge, at least one of these blocks must be in a Gaeltacht setting with the option of one block in an Irish-medium setting.

The immersive educational experience(s) for Gaeilge must be one of the following:

• attending an Irish language course
• working as a staff member in an educational setting in the Gaeltacht
• conducting an action research project which is of relevance to their teaching studies
• engaging in School Placement.