Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 8 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 1

Written Answers. - Art Teachers.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

139 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 23 February 2000, the reason a finishing course for unqualified art teachers, who had attempted to qualify through his Department's technical schools system, was not run by his Department in 1979 in view of the fact that a viable number of applicants meeting his Department's requirements had been received in 1979; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7203/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 224 on 23 February 2000, my Department considered the question of providing a summer course in 1981 to cater for persons with a minimum of three years' teaching experience who held the principles of teacher art qualification but who had a shortfall of one or more of the necessary TS examinations in art.

While my Department has not been able to trace the papers on this issue, it is likely that the decision not to hold the course was taken because there was not a sufficient number of persons with the specified experience and qualifications interested in doing the course.