Vol. 413 No. 9
281 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Education if he will outline the precise changes being proposed at the forthcoming Maastricht EC Summit which would affect education in this State; and the Government's position with regard to the proposed changes.
The draft Treaty of Union to be considered by Heads of State and Government in Maastricht contains a composite Article on Education and Vocational Training in place of Article 128 of the Treaty of Rome which confers a Community competence in the field of vocational training alone. I will arrange to make a copy of the new Article available to the Deputy.
Among the areas proposed for Community action are: the European dimension in education; mobility of students and teachers; co-operation between schools; and distance education.
The Article specifically excludes any harmonisation of the legislative and regulatory provisions of the educational systems of the member states from the scope of Community action. The proposed changes then will have no direct effect on the structure or administration of the Irish educational system.
The Ministers for Education meeting within the Council in Brussels on 25 November considered and approved the new Article.
