Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Jun 2000

Vol. 520 No. 5

Written Answers. - Teaching Qualifications.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

95 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science the restrictions on other EU nationals and non-EU nationals who are themselves otherwise suitably qualified but are not allowed to teach here; and his proposals in relation to such restrictions, in view of the current shortage of qualified teachers. [16170/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Teachers in national schools are class teachers rather than subject specialists and must be qualified to teach the range of primary school subjects to children aged four to 12 years. Accordingly, applicants must satisfy the Department of Education and Science that they are competent to teach the Irish language and to teach the range of primary school curricular subjects through the medium of Irish before being granted full recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools.

Teachers trained in another member state of the European Union, whose qualifications have been assessed and accepted by the Department of Education and Science, but who do not possess an appropriate Irish language qualification, are granted a five year period of provisional recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools. During this period of provisional recognition these teachers are remunerated to the same extent as fully qualified teachers. The period of provisional recognition has recently been extended from three to five years, in order to allow such teachers adequate time to prepare for and pass the Irish language examination and also in response to the ongoing teacher supply issue at primary level.

At the moment, teachers from outside of the European Union are not eligible for the five-year period of provisional recognition that applies to teachers from the European Union and, accordingly, cannot take up positions in mainstream primary schools until they meet the Department's Irish language requirements. In order to meet this requirement teachers must have obtained a pass in the scrúdú cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge – SCG – and provide certification that they have attended an approved three week residential course in the Gaeltacht.

However, non EU teachers whose qualifications have been assessed as satisfactory, but who are not entitled to teach in mainstream primary schools because they do not possess the Irish language qualification, are recognised by my Department to teach in special schools and classes where Irish is not a curricular requirement. This recognition has also been recently extended to allow such teachers to take up positions as resource teachers for children with special needs.

I have asked officials within my Department to examine the possibility of extending the same treatment to non-EU teachers as is currently applied to teachers trained within the EU. I hope to be in a position to announce the result of the examination referred to above shortly. Finally, my Department is finalising a comprehensive circular on the recognition of teacher qualifications at primary level and it is intended that it will be issued to all schools early in the next school year.