Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 8 Jun 2000

Vol. 520 No. 5

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

55 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will comment on the claim by an official of the Irish National Teachers Organisation that a child can go three to four years without a properly trained teacher. [16152/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Teachers in primary schools are appointed and employed by the managerial authority of the school. In the event that the managerial authority of a primary school is unable to obtain the services of a fully qualified teacher, at a particular time, they may appoint a person who is not fully trained in a temporary capacity. The managerial authority must continue to make every effort to obtain the services of a fully qualified person, including re-advertising a post.

I accept that there is a temporary shortage of trained teachers at present, but I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a range of measures have been introduced by this Government to boost substantially the supply of trained primary teachers.

The intake of trainee primary teachers to the Colleges of Education was increased substantially in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 sessions. The total projected intake in the 1999-2000 academic year is 1,283 compared with an intake of 500 in 1996-97.

Between the 2000 and 2001 academic years it is projected that approximately 1,900 newly trained teachers shall graduate from the colleges of education. This represents a huge increase in the number of trained graduates as compared with 1995 when 291 graduated.

A number of other initiatives to reduce the number of untrained personnel have also been introduced. B.Ed. graduates of St. Mary's College, Belfast, who have studied Irish to honours level as an academic subject as part of their teaching qualification are now recognised as fully qualified.

Since September 1998, all primary degree holders who hold the Higher Diploma in Education are paid as fully trained substitute teachers and in the current academic year those with grade C honours in the leaving certificate are paid at the trained rate, when employed in a temporary capacity.

Primary degree holders who hold the diploma in education, but do not have grade C in the honours leaving certificate, but commence employment after 1 April 2000, are paid at the trained rate for up to 14 weeks.

Teachers trained in EU countries employed in primary schools are now remunerated at the trained rate pending their obtaining the necessary competence in the Irish Language. EU trained teachers previously had to acquire the necessary competence in the Irish language within three years of their first appointment to a primary school. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that EU trained teachers now have up to five years to obtain the necessary competence in the language.

Montessori trained teachers who successfully completed the course of three years duration at St. Nicholas, Dún Laoghaire, which is recognised by the National Council for Educational Awards, are also recognised as being fully qualified substitute teachers.

The decision to recognise fully qualified teachers who trained outside the State to teach in certain categories of schools and classes without the necessity to hold an Irish language qualification is also contributing to an improvement in the supply of trained primary teachers.