andMr. Taylor asked the Minister for Education if she will introduce legislation, including sanctions for those who breach it, to preclude the publicly-funded national teacher training colleges from selecting national teacher trainees on a basis which discriminates between the religious or philosophical beliefs of applicants, having regard to the information given by the Minister for Education in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 317 of 27 January 1988 which indicated that only 10 per cent of successful applicants were from the Dublin area and their approval rate after interview was only two-thirds of that pertraining to applicants from the remainder of the country.
Written Answers. - National Teacher Trainees.
175.
The Colleges of Education for primary teacher training are private institutions under the management of the local Hierarchy and reflect the denominational nature of the national school system which is explicitly recognised by the State in pursuance of the provisions of Articles 42 and 44 of the Constitution. The concern of the college authorities for the religious or philosophical beliefs of applicants clearly derives from the denominational nature of the national schools and the fact that, as well as teaching secular subjects, the teachers are also teachers of religion which is a fundamental part of the school course.
I am satisfied that all applicants for primary teacher training, regardless of country or origin, are assessed on an equal and just basis at interview and I am not planning to introduce legislation along the lines suggested by the Deputies.