I can confirm that I have recently received correspondence from the person referred to by the Deputy.
As part of the minimum academic requirements specified by my Department for entry to primary teacher training, all candidates, including school leavers, mature students and university graduates, must have a minimum of a grade C in higher level in Irish in the leaving certificate or an approved equivalent. This requirement embodies both the written and oral element of a student's proficiency in Irish. My Department considers it to be the minimum standard in Irish necessary for students entering a teacher training course which will equip them to teach Irish to pupils at all levels of the primary school.
The Ceard Teastas is not regarded as an approved equivalent to the leaving certificate requirement for entry to primary teacher training.
The approved equivalents to the leaving certificate Irish requirement for entry to the postgraduate course in primary teaching are a grade C in the matriculation examination, a pass in a University first arts examination in Irish or, in the case of Northern Ireland GCE applicants, a grade C in A level Irish.
Requirements in this area are kept under review by my Department, in consultation with the authorities of the colleges of education, and are also being considered by the working group set up to review the full-time pre-service teacher training courses.
