asked the Minister for Education the justification, in connection with the proposal to provide a year's training course for temporary teachers, for including only those temporary teachers who have been paid by his Department; and whether the suitability of such people for training is affected by the source from which they are paid
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teacher Training.
11.
When in response to representations an ex-gratia course of training was proposed for some temporary unqualified teachers paid by the Department, the criteria adopted for selection were those which had been suggested in the course of the representations.
Is there a minimum age limit for qualification for these courses?
This ex-gratia course has a number of conditions, one of them being that there is a minimum age limit, as the Deputy suggests.
Is the age limit of 30 completely inflexible or can exceptions be made in particular cases? It seems to be a bit arbitrary just to say 30 years of age.
The Deputy will appreciate that the whole course is an ex-gratia one arrived at by agreement between the Department and a body representing the teachers in question. These were the conditions suggested in the course of negotiations and I am prepared to stand by these conditions.