Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

1145 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received representations from principal teachers in Tallaght, Dublin 24, concerning the severe difficulty in recruiting qualified teachers to fill posts; his plans to assist schools in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1087/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I am aware that a number of primary schools are experiencing some difficulties in recruiting qualified teachers. This has arisen because of two main factors. The first is that the Government has increased demand for teachers generally by creating extra posts to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio and increase support for children with a disability or disadvantage, while the second is that the number of trained teachers graduating from our training colleges had fallen to a very low level, for example, 291 graduated in 1995.

The Government has taken effective action to boost substantially the supply of trained primary teachers and alleviate these difficulties. The total intake to the colleges of education for primary teaching in the 1999-2000 academic year was increased to 1,283. This compares to an intake of 500 in 1996-97. There are approximately 1,000 students enrolled in the first year of the undergraduate training course in the 2000-01 academic year. A further postgraduate course will commence early this year with a proposed intake of 280 students, bringing the total to 1,280. The intake to the undergraduate training course for primary teachers will continue at the current level of 1,000 for the 2001-02 academic year. Between the 2000 and 2001 academic years, it is projected that approximately 1,900 qualified primary teachers will graduate from the colleges of education. This represents a huge increase in the number of trained graduates compared to 1995 when 291 graduated.

Other initiatives to increase the number of trained personnel have also been introduced and B.Ed. graduates of St. Mary's College, Belfast, who have studied Irish to honours level as an academic subject as part of their teaching qualification are now recognised as fully qualified. Since September 1998, all primary degree holders who hold the higher diploma in education are paid as fully trained substitute teachers. In the current academic year teachers employed in a temporary capacity holding a degree and the higher diploma in education are paid on the trained basic scale for teachers.

Teachers trained in EU countries employed in primary schools are now remunerated at the trained rate pending their obtaining the necessary competence in the Irish language. EU trained teachers previously had to acquire the necessary competence in the Irish language within three years of their first appointment to a primary school. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have provided that these teachers now have up to five years to obtain the necessary competence in the language. In addition, for a period of two years from 1 September 2000, teachers trained outside the EU whose qualifications are accepted by my Department will be granted provisional recognition for five years on the same basis as EU trained teachers. Montessori trained teachers who successfully completed the course of three years duration at St. Nicholas, Dún Laoghaire, which is recognised by the National Council for Educational Awards, are also recognised as being fully qualified substitute teachers.

The decision to recognise fully qualified teachers who trained outside the State to teach in certain categories of schools and classes without the necessity to hold an Irish language qualification is also contributing to an improvement in the supply of trained primary teachers.