I propose to take Questions Nos. 249, 265, 270, 315, 331 and 332 together.
In September 2001, my Department requested the employing school authority to arrange that the person in question, who had been proposed for a publicly advertised teaching appointment in the subject of music, would forward details of his qualifications for assessment. Documentation was received in my Department's offices in Athlone in June 2002 and was assessed and the decision in relation to music was issued to the person in question and to the school authority in August 2002. In December 2002, the person in question appealed the decision. Following a review of all the documentation to hand, the appeal was refused in January 2003. This decision was conveyed to the person in question at the time. In March 2003, my Department invited the person in question to submit more detailed information on his primary degree with a view to a full re-examination of the suitability of this qualification for the teaching of music. Further documentation was received from this person at that time. However, significant personnel changes in the area of the Department which deals with these matters led to some regrettable delay at this point and it was not possible to complete the re-examination until recently. A full decision based on the outcome of this re-examination is being prepared and will issue in the next week. In January 2003 the person in question sought independent assessment of his primary degree for the purpose of teaching Irish at second level. He was referred to the registration council as the appropriate authority for this purpose and the necessary application forms were issued to him. There is no record of the person in question having returned the completed forms.
