The minimum entry requirement for all undergraduate and postgraduate teacher education programmes for the primary sector is a grade C3 on a higher level leaving certificate Irish paper. This has been the position for more than ten years. As the Deputy may be aware, just over 40% of the marks for that exam derive from the oral and aural components. In the case of undergraduate programmes, interviews were held in all colleges up to 1991. Students are now accepted onto undergraduate courses in four colleges solely on the basis of leaving certificate performance, and applications are processed through the Central Applications Office. These colleges are Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin, St. Patrick's College of Education, Dublin and Froebel College of Education, Dublin. In the case of the fifth college, the Church of Ireland College of Education, applications are processed through the CAO and an interview is held as an element of the selection process. Part of the interview is conducted through the medium of Irish.
Applicants to competitions for postgraduate courses, who have met the minimum entry requirements or approved equivalents, undergo an interview and an oral Irish test. In the case of Irish, courses accepted as equivalent include a pass in a university first arts examination, a grade C at GCE A Level, a grade C in the matriculation examination or the dioplóma sa Ghaeilge from NUI, Maynooth. The selection procedure for these postgraduate courses, which has been laid down by my Department, sets out the grades and points which are to be allocated at both the interview and oral Irish test. Assessment criteria for the oral Irish test have been developed by the colleges which have responsibility for organising and managing the competitions. Applicants who get a fail grade on the oral Irish test are eliminated.
Mature students for the undergraduate programmes have the option of applying through the CAO system or directly to the colleges. In the case of direct application, once candidates have met the minimum entry requirements or approved equivalents, selection is on the basis of a competitive interview and oral Irish test. Applicants who get a fail grade on the oral Irish test are eliminated.
Applicants to the on-line course, having met the minimum entry requirements, are interviewed and half of the interview is conducted through the medium of Irish. Applicants who do not meet the standard set by the college are considered ineligible for the course.