Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013
243. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the negotiations between the Church of Ireland College of Education and Trinity College Dublin in relation to a possible merger. [57928/12]
View answer244. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the negotiations between Saint Patrick's College, Drumcondra and Dublin City University in relation to a possible merger. [57929/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 244 together.
I have accepted the recommendations set out in a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the structures of initial teacher education (ITE). The purpose of the report, which I requested, was to identify new possible structures to improve initial teacher education in Ireland so that it is comparable with the best in the world.
The international panel of education experts recommended that teacher education be provided in six "centres for teacher education". This will mean that a smaller number of centres for ITE exist, but that they offer education across multiple sectors from early childhood to primary, to post primary to adult education. These centres will also possess a critical mass in terms of research capacity which is not always possible in smaller institutions. The panel suggested that Church of Ireland College of Education would be suitably positioned to join a number of the proposed new configurations.
I am not in a position to provide an update on the current status of negotiations between the various institutions involved. However, I have asked the HEA to prepare an implementation report, which I expect to receive shortly.
