Vol. 570 No. 2
268 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the person in his Department who was supposed to have contacted a person (details supplied) in County Mayo regarding her qualifications; the name of the person who contacted this person; the reason it took four years to assess this; the reason, following the assessment, it took a year to actually explain the nature of the problems; and the reason this matter is taking so long. [18434/03]
My Department requested the person in question to provide documented evidence of her qualifications for the purpose of assessment in August 1999. No reply was received to this request. A further request issued to the person in question in June 2001. The person in question submitted the documentation to my Department in September 2001. The documentation in question was assessed for the purpose of a proposed teaching appointment in home economics and religion. The decision in relation to religion was issued in June 2002 and the decision in relation to home economics was issued in August 2002. As indicated in my reply of 12 June last, the person in question made contact with officers of the qualifications unit of my Department in Athlone and with a senior inspector with responsibility in the area of home economics.
