Vol. 520 No. 3
135 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will support a pilot scheme to test the model of establishing a specialist Irish teacher to undertake the teaching of Irish across all the classes in a selected number of primary schools. [15693/00]
All graduates of the colleges of edu cation in Ireland are qualified to teach the Irish language up to the sixth class level of the primary school. It is an entry requirement for the colleges that candidates would have attained at least a grade C in the leaving certificate, higher level, in Irish. As undergraduates they then pursue either a bachelor of education course with Irish as a main degree subject or are required to successfully complete a course in professional Irish, Gaeilge ghairmiúil. This course is designed to develop the students' mastery of the language with particular reference to the use of Irish in the curriculum.
Teachers who qualify outside this jurisdiction must obtain a pass in the scrúdú cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge, the qualifying examination in Irish, before being granted full recognition to teach in primary schools. This examination is set at a standard which matches as closely as possible the standard attained by those who graduate from the Irish colleges of education. There are no plans to introduce specialist teachers of Irish into the primary school system.
