Vol. 550 No. 4
804 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 584 of 7 March, he agrees there is serious regional inequity regarding the availability of the higher diploma in education programme, not least in regard to parents who cannot leave home to pursue the course at the existing five centres and who wish to become secondary teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8895/02]
The higher diploma in education programme is a one year full-time post-graduate qualification programme, which represents the principal entry route to second-level teaching. The programme is currently offered in universities in Cork, Galway, Maynooth and Dublin. Further dedicated undergraduate post-primary teaching programmes are also offered at the University of Limerick. Entry to the higher diploma in education programme is subject to an entry quota, the setting of which is monitored on an ongoing basis by my Department and the Higher Education Authority. There are currently 1,000 places available on the programme, including 40 places on the higher diploma in education programme offered through the medium of Irish in NUI, Galway. This provision is considered suitable to meet the current needs.
