Vol. 500 No. 1
423 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if primary teachers have with drawn their services from the National Centre for Technology in Education; if so, the impact of this withdrawal on training and other programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3701/99]
Approximately half of the 600 primary tutors for the spring, 1999 ICT training programmes for teachers under Schools IT 2000 have withdrawn their services pending the outcome of discussions between my Department, the National Centre for Technology in Education – NCTE – and the INTO on tutor rates of pay. ICT training programmes are provided largely through the Education Centre Network and the withdrawal of tutor services is concentrated in some of the larger urban education centre areas. I understand that the discussions taking place between my Department, NCTE and the INTO on this matter are at an advanced stage of development and, accordingly, I expect that this matter will be resolved in the very near future.
