Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 February 2021
460. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education if publicly-funded higher education institutions are restricted or limited to independently determining the number of students they enrol for professional masters of education courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10081/21]
View answerAs Minister for Education, I approve the numbers of students which the four State-funded providers can take in to both the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) and Professional Masters of Education (PME) programmes of primary initial teacher education. The approved intake for each, over the last number of years, has been as follows:
- 1,000 places per annum for the B. Ed. and
- 200 places per annum for the PME.
The number is set annually having regard to teacher supply and demand issues, and available resources.
As Minister for Education, I do not set the number of students admitted to Post Primary programmes of initial teacher education.
