asked the Minister for Education what qualifications are laid down by the registration council in respect of teachers of speech drama.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Qualifications of Drama Teachers.
116.
The registration council at its meeting in January, 1968, decided that it should not recognise qualifications in speech training and elocution for the purposes of registration as a secondary teacher. Apart altogether from the merits of the qualifications in question the council felt that elocution and speech-training should be given by teachers generally in the normal course of educating their pupils.
In view of the importance of this and the fact that increasing numbers of schools are appointing staff teachers for this subject, will the Minister consider discussing with the registration council qualifications that will be universally applicable?
The problem here is that the registration council have already discussed this. They are a statutory body and they have come to a decision on it. I do not know whether there would be much advantage in having further discussions on it.
Perhaps they might discuss the matter with some of the interested parties.
I expect the registration council would be amenable to such a suggestion, although I cannot speak for them.