Vol. 500 No. 7
396 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received a submission from various student teachers attending the University of Limerick relating to their request for a subsidy towards expenses incurred while obtaining practical experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5074/99]
407 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that students doing teaching placement from the University of Limerick are required to do teaching practice for extended periods of up to six weeks and that this requires making separate accommodation arrangement while still obliged to pay their student accommodation in Limerick at an estimated average additional costs are £120 per week; and if he will meet the students union to discuss their need for an expense allowance. [5175/99]
408 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that students on compulsory work experience from the University of Limerick get paid where they undertake a Civil Service placement, but where they have a Department of Education and Science placement in a school, no payment is made; and the discussions, if any, he has had with the Department of Finance regarding the possibility of applying the normal public service precedent in schools under his Department. [5176/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 396, 407 and 408 together.
I have received representations from student teachers at the University of Limerick regarding their expenses while engaged in teaching practice and the position is that teaching practice is not a paid activity in any institution and is viewed as training rather than employment. It is an integral part of the curriculum of the degree programmes in education and there is no special financial assistance available to students for this aspect of their course.
I would point out that the four year second level teacher education programmes in the University of Limerick are approved courses for the purposes of the higher education grants scheme. Under the terms of that scheme, grantholders who are required to participate in off-campus placement as an integral part of their course may have their grant entitlement paid in the normal manner. Accordingly, student teachers who are eligible for grant assistance continue to receive their entitlements while undertaking teaching practice.
On the general question of placement programmes, I understand that all students attending the University of Limerick undertake some form of experience learning placement during the course of their degree programmes. I further understand that some placement programmes are remunerated while others are not. Students on work experience placement under the university's co-operative education programme, such as those placed in the Civil Service, are generally paid. Student teachers are not included in the co-operative education programme.
