Molaim an dara léamh a thabhairt don Bhille seo chun Choláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan a chur a bhonn reachtúil. Is é seo an triú hinstitiúid nua oideachais den tríú leibhéal a raibh sé de chúram orm a bhunú ar bhonn reachtúil agus ar mhórán bealach is é an institiúid is mó tábhacht dóibh go léir.
Is annamh an deis a bheith ann chun coláiste oideachais nua a bhunú do mhúinteoirí. Tá bunú coláiste den saghas seo níos neamhchoitianta fós sa mhéid go bhfuil na saoráidí atá ag teastáil le haghaidh traenála i scileanna praiticiúla agus fisiciúla chomh ilchasta agus chomh costasach sin.
Tá na saoráidí sa choláiste seo, laistigh agus lasmuigh, go hinmholta. Tá an bhéim ar na scileanna praiticiúla chomh maith leis na scileanna teoiriciúla. Go dtí seo reachtáileadh na cúrsaí traenála do mhúinteoirí i scileanna praiticiúla agus teoiriciúla in ionaid éaesúla, roinnt mhaith dóibh in ionaid shealadacha. Go deimhin, fuair an-chuid múinteoirí oiliúínt shár-mhaith amach sna cúrsaí sin ach de ghnáth ní raibh caighdeán na saoráidí a bhí ann sách árd chun múinteoirí a oiliúint a mbheadh sé de chúram orthu saoránaigh an Stáit a thraenáil don saol atá romhainn.
Is institiúid náisiúnta é Coláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan agus líonann sé bearna fadthréimhseach in ár gcóras oiliúna do mhúinteoirí agus soláthraíonn sé scoth na saoráidí chun múinteoirí a oiliúnt i réimsí áirithe saineolaíochta.
Bhí a lán daoine le fada an lá ar an dtuairim gur chóir coláiste a bheith ann le múinteoirí a thraenáil sna réimsí nach raibh leagan buan traenála orthu. Mar sin féin tháinig an socrú faoi bhunú na hinstitiúide go dtugtar Coláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan air anois ó dhá fhoinse.
Sa chéad áit, i 1969 d'órdaigh an tAire Oideachais go gcuirfí tuarascáil faoi mhúinteoirí a oiliúint i gcorpoideachas in Éirinn ar fáil mar go raibh imní air gur deineadh faillí sa ghnó seo le tamall anuas. Mhol an tuarascáil go mbunófaí coláiste chun fir óga agus mná óga a oiliúint mar mhúinteoirí corpoideachais.
Sa dara háit chuir an tÚdarás um Ard Oideachas tuarascáil ar fáil i 1970 faoi thraenáil múinteoirí, in ar moladh go soláthrófaí cúrsaí traenála do mhúinteoirí ábhar speisialta in institiúid amháin, agus go reachtálfaí na cúrsaí seo i Luimneach.
Thángathas ar dhá shocrú. I dtosach socraíodh go mbunófaí coláiste corpoideachais i Luimneach. Cheannaíodh suíomh ar bhruacha na Sionna inaice an ionaid ina mbeadh an Foras Náisiúnta um Ard-Oideachas. Thosaigh an obair ar an bhfoirgneamh — an chéad choláiste oiliúna sna hoileáin seo chun múinteoirí corpoideachais a oiliúint a tógáladh go speisialta le haghaidh an ghnó seo.
Ag an am chéanna bhíothas ag smaoineamh ar institiúid a bhunú chun múinteoirí ábhar speisialta a oiliúint agus i 1974 shocraigh an Rialtas go gcuirfí an dá institiúid le haghaidh múinteoirí a oiliúint le chéile i Luimneach ar an suíomh gcéanna faoi aon bhord stiúrtha amháin agus go dtabharfaí an Coláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan mar ainm ar an institiúid nua.
Bhí tosú an Choláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan chomh teoranta san go raibh sé deacair d'aoinne ag an am a shamhlú go mbeadh sé ag borradh agus ag fás mar atá sé anois — coláiste nuaaoiseach oiliúna do mhúinteoirí, a sholáthraíonn cúrsaí oiliúna i gceithre réirnsí, agus go bhfuil sé i gceist níos mó cúrsaí a phleanáil i 1981 agus sna blianta atá romhainn. Ní raibh ach roinnt scoláirí i gcúpla seomra i Luimneach a bhí ar chíos nuair a thosaigh an chéad bhliain den chúrsa cheithre mblian. Úsáideadh an t-áras gleacaíochta agus na saoráidí spóirt a bhí ag an gColáiste Réigiúnda Teicneolaíochta i dTrá Lí — a bhuíochas sin do Choiste Ghairm-Oideachais Thrá Lí.
Ní raibh sé furast do na mic léinn ná dá gcuid múinteoirí. Ach taobh istigh de bhliain tháinig grúpaí mac léinn eile a bhí tar éis an chéad chuid dá gcuid traenála a chríochnú in institiúidí eile.
Nuair d'athraigh na grúpaí seo chuig an suíomh ag Plassey ní raibh ach na saoráidí gleacaíochta a bhain leis an bhfoirgneamh nua críochnaithe agus fuaireadar na chéad léachtaí i bhfoirgnimh réamhdhéanta a sholáthraigh mo Roinn dóibh.
Ainneoin go raibh an tús teoranta, d'fhás an coláiste bliain i ndiaidh bliana agus tá sé fós ag fás. I 1975 tháinig na chéad chéimithe amach as an gcoláiste. Bhronn an Chomhairle Náisiúnta na gCáilíochtaí Oideachais na céimeanna san.
I 1976 agus 1977 ba é Oilscoil Náisiúnta na hÉireann a bhronn na céimeanna san, agus ó 1978 i leith do bhronn an Chomhairle Náisiúnta na gCáilíochtaí Oideachais na céimeanna ar na micléinn. Tá na cáilíochtaí seo ar aon chéim i gcaighdeán agus i stadas leis na cinn a bhronntar ag Ollscoil ar bith.
I 1978 tosnaíodh ar an dara céim i dtógáil an Choláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan. Arís is foirgnearnh é seo atá beartaithe go speisialta chun múinteoirí a oiliúnt i réimsí speisialta, adhmadóireacht, miotalóireacht, tuatheolaíocht agus tráchtáil. Críochnaíodh an foirgneamh i samhradh na bliana 1979, agus i bhfómhar na bliana sin cláraíodh mic léinn den chéad uair in adhmadóireacht, miotalóireacht agus tuatheolaíocht. Is suimiúil an scéal é forbairt an Choláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan mar ionad chun múinteoirí speisialta a oiliúint.
A college for training teachers of physical education was first conceived in 1969 by my predecessor, Deputy Brian Lenihan. He requested Captain Michael MacDonagh, inspector of physical education at the Department of Education and Dr. John Kane, then head of physical education, St. Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, now professor of physical education at Loughborough College of Education, to prepare a paper on the training of physical education teachers in the Republic of Ireland. At that time, two colleges, St. Raphael's, Sion Hill and Ling College, were engaged in the training of women physical education teachers but there were no facilities within the State for the training of men as physical education teachers. There was no established national standard of qualification.
In their paper, Captain MacDonagh and Dr. Kane suggested that a new college be set up for the training of men and women teachers. Conscious of the growing recognition of the importance of physical education in the curriculum, the Minister accepted this recommendation in principle and the decision was taken to establish a national college of physical education at Limerick.
A site of approximately 54 acres was purchased at Plassey, Castletroy, adjoining the site of the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick. A programme was organised whereby groups of young men would start their course at St. Mary's, Strawberry Hill from 1969. In 1972 young women who had taken an initial year of training at St. Raphael's and Ling joined the Strawberry Hill group. When the National College of Physical Education opened in 1973, all these students were transferred to Limerick from Strawberry Hill to complete their courses, and graduate from Limerick. A board of management was appointed to plan and oversee the development of the new college, and an acting director was appointed on 1 September 1973 for a three-year period.
The specially designed facilities available in the physical education building — the first purpose built physical education college in these islands — compare favourably with any physical education college in Great Britain or in Europe. The following indoor facilities are available: a large sports hall 36×24 metres, a fully equipped gymnasium 24 metres ×12 metres, four squash courts, a 33 metre, six lane swimming pool, diving pit with one metre and three metre diving boards, dance studio. The building also contains a lecture theatre capable of seating 150, lecture rooms, reading rooms, seminar rooms, laboratories, administrative offices and student common room. As to outdoor facilities, the college is situated a matter of yards from the Shannon, which is used for many water activities such as canoeing. Lough Derg is upstream for sailing activities. There is an all-weather play area 70×100 metres, five outdoor tennis courts, and an eight lane international size athletic track. An additional 35 acres adjoining is being purchased and in all nine playing pitches, and three practice areas are provided.
The physical education course aims to produce highly specialist teachers of physical education who are, in addition, able to teach another area of the school curriculum competently to leaving certificate level. The course, therefore, consists basically of four elements — physical education studies — theory and practice — elective subject, pedagogics and teaching practice.
The Report on Teacher Education, published by the Higher Education Authority in September 1970, recommended, inter alia, that courses for the training of teachers of specialist subjects should be concentrated in a single institution and centred in the Limerick Institute for Higher Education, which was not then established. In 1972, the Minister for Education, Deputy Padraig Faulkner, TD, informed the Government that it was intended that the National College of Physical Education would be an independent college pending a decision on the siting of the centre for the specialist teacher training courses which were conducted by the Department of Education.
In May 1973, approval in principle was given for the provision of a single institution for the training of teachers of specialist subjects, which was to be treated as an additional phase of the college for training teachers of physical education, and it was decided to seek a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) for a loan for the construction and equipping of the Institution. The World Bank subsequently approved the application for a loan and the work of construction of the second phase of Thomond College was completed in January 1979.
The Government's decisions of 13 December 1974 on higher education included the following in relation to the College of Education for Teachers of Specialist Subjects at Limerick, and the National College of Physical Education:
the College of Education for Teachers of Specialist Subjects, Limerick, and the National College of Physical Education, shall have a Joint Governing Body of twenty-five members, and shall be a recognised college of the National University of Ireland.
On 5 November 1976, the Government approved the title Thomond College of Education for the institution for which the joint governing body would have responsibility. On the same date, the Government approved a list of names of persons who should be invited to act on the governing body of Thomond College of Education, and the first meeting of the governing body was held on 8 March, 1976.
I would like to pay tribute to the work of the Board of Management who had all the headaches of getting the college of physical education off the ground, and also to the ad hoc governing body which has been responsible for the affairs of Thomond College since 1975 and whose term of office has been extended until the college is established on a statutory basis. A director for the college was appointed on a permanent basis and took up duty on 1 September, 1976.
As an exceptional matter the National Council for Educational Awards was authorised to be the degree awarding body for Thomond College of Education — then the National College of Physical Education — in 1975. The college was granted recognised college status by the National University of Ireland in 1976 and the university was the degree awarding authority for students of the college who graduated in 1976 and 1977.
When I became Minister for Education, I restored to the National Council for Educational Awards their degree-awarding function. On 18 November 1977, I announced that the NCEA were to be the degree-awarding authority in the case of students who successfully completed degree level courses in Thomond College of Education — and also certificates, diplomas and degrees for NIHE Limerick, the NIHE, Dublin and the regional technical colleges.
The first groups of leaving certificate students for the courses in general and rural science, metalwork and engineering science, and woodwork and building science enrolled at Thomond College in autumn 1979, for the first year of four-year degree level courses. The National Council for Educational Awards will be the degree-awarding body for these courses. Two of these groups, the metalwork and woodwork students, going into their second year in autumn 1980, have been joined by two groups of students with a training in trade in the appropriate skills. The students with a trade background hold senior trade certificates. This is the best kind of mobility. They have completed a full statutory apprenticeship and have undergone comprehensive written and practical examinations, oral examinations in Irish and English and a searching interview before being selected. They have been exempted from the first year of the course and will be paid a weekly maintenance allowance during their period of training.
A one-year course for training graduates as teachers of commercial subjects will commence at Thomond College in autumn 1981. Thomond College will also provide in-service courses for teachers in areas such as educational management, adult education, remedial education and educational technology.
Student-teachers of all specialties have common core-areas of study — pedagogics, education theory, teaching practice; and core subjects — English, Irish and mathematics. Through the National Council for Educational Awards a consistency of standards and a central examination system are achieved.
Ní misde do gach scoláire tréimhse éifeachtach a chaitheamh sa Ghaeltacht fhaid atá sé ag freastail sa choláiste ionus go bhfuighidh sé oilteacht agus líofacht sa Ghaeilge. Do rinne an Seanadóir Ó Maolcatha tagairt don riachtanas sin nuair a bhí sé ag caint roimhe seo sa tSeanad.
The second phase of the college is an attractive building designed to be in conformity with the all over campus development plan. Approximately 6,000 square metres of additional accommodation have been provided in this phase. There are three lecture theatres, each capable of seating 100, nine classrooms, ten laboratories and workshops, four drawing rooms, an educational technology suite incorporating a laboratory, a workshop and a teaching resources centre, a business machines room, an audio-typewriting room, social areas, staff common room and staff and administrative offices.
A further 30 acres of land will be purchased in 1981 to accommodate the outdoor requirements of the rural science course, so that the total area of land available for the use of the college will be in the region of 120 acres.
One of the unique features of the college is the amount of outdoor teaching space required to mount the physical education and rural science courses. I have outlined earlier the outdoor facilities required for physical education. For the rural science programme, it will be necessary to provide for fruit trees and shrubs, bush fruits, soft fruits, kitchen garden, flower garden, lawns, bee-keeping, nursery plots, museum plots, transplant plots, experimental plots, glass houses, small animal house, crop plants, farm animals, animal buildings, food storage space, manure compost and so on. It is also necessary to provide for rotation of crops.
In the current academic year, 283 students have been enrolled at the college. The total planned capacity of the present buildings is approximately 800 students.
I now propose to summarise the main provisions of the Bill as it has been presented. Section I deals with the interpretation of the various terms used in the Bill. Section 2 establishes the college which shall be known in the Irish language as Coláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan, Luimneach, and in the English language as Thomond College of Education, Limerick.
Section 3 defines what is meant by membership of the college. The functions of the college, set out in section 4, indicate its special purpose. The functions are:
(a) to provide suitable degree level courses for the purpose of the training of teachers for service in such schools and institutions as may be determined by the Minister;
(b) to provide courses for teachers already serving in such schools and institutions as may be determined by the Minister:
(c) to provide such other courses as the Minister may from time to time determine;
(d) to engage in research in such fields as the governing body may deem appropriate:
(e) subject to the approval of the Minister, after consultation with an tÚdarás—
(i) to buy and acquire lands or buildings:
(ii) to institute and if thought fit, to award scholarships, prizes and other awards;
(f) subject to such conditions as the Minister may prescribe, to maintain, manage, administer and invest all the money and assets of the college;
(g) to accept from donors gifts of land or other property upon such trusts and conditions, if any, as may be specified by the donors: provided that nothing in any such trust or condition is contrary to the provisions of this Act;
(h) subject to such conditions as the Minister may prescribe, to do all such acts and things as may be necessary to further the objects and development of the college.
Section 5 provides for the establishment of the governing body, and prescribes its structure and functions. Like the national institutes for higher education, the Bill provides for a 25 member governing body consisting of the chairman, the director and 23 ordinary members. The chairman and the 23 ordinary members shall be appointed by the Government on the recommendation of the Minister. The manner of appointment of the 23 ordinary members is set out in section 5 (4) and is as follows:
(a) seven shall be appointed on the recommendation of the Minister in accordance with the provisions of section 5 (5) which draws particular attention to the need for adequate representation of industry, agriculture, fisheries, commerce and the professions;
(b) three shall be appointed who shall be members of the academic staff of the college who shall be chosen by the academic staff in accordance with regulations made by the governing body;
(c) one shall be appointed who shall be a member of the non-academic staff of the college chosen in accordance with regulations made by the governing body;
(d) two shall be appointed who are full-time students of the college chosen in accordance with regulations made by the governing body;
(e) three shall be appointed on the recommendation of the governing body of the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick; (f) two shall be appointed on the recommendation of An Chomhairle Oiliúna;
(g) one shall be appointed who shall be a member of the staff of a university in the State, or of any college or institution which is a constituent college of, or is recognised by, such a university;
(h) one member shall be appointed who shall be a member of the academic staff of the colleges of education for primary teachers; and
(i) three shall be appointed after consultation with such bodies representative of the interests of second level education as the Minister considers appropriate.
Section 6 provides for the functions of the governing body. The governing body shall manage and control all the affairs and property of the college and shall perform all the functions conferred on the college by this Act and shall have all such powers as may be necessary under this Act for this purpose. The governing body may from time to time appoint such and so many committees as it thinks proper to assist it in such manner as the governing body shall direct and the governing body may assign to any committee so appointed such duties as it thinks fit. The acts of any such committee shall be subject to confirmation by the governing body unless the governing body dispense with the necessity for such confirmation.
Section 7 provides for a post of chief officer of the college, to be known as the director. The Second Schedule sets out the conditions governing the appointment of the director.
Section 8 provides for the establishment of an academic council for the college and prescribes the functions of the council. The academic council acts as specialist advisers to the governing body on academic matters. Its functions relate to the planning, co-ordination, development and overseeing of the educational work of the college. The membership and terms of office of the academic council are determined by regulations made by the governing body. Section 8 (3) lists particular functions of the council as follows:
(a) to design, develop and implement appropriate programmes of study;
(b) to make recommendations to the governing body for the establishment of appropriate structures to implement such programmes of study;
(c) to make recommendations to the governing body on programmes for the development of research:
(d) to make recommendations to the governing body for the selection, admission, retention and exclusion of students;
(e) to make, subject to the approval of the governing body, and to implement the academic regulations of the college;
(f) to propose to the governing body the form of regulations to be made by the governing body for the conduct of examinations and for the evaluation of academic progress;
(g) to make recommendations to the governing body for the award of fellowships, scholarships, bursaries, prizes or other awards;
(h) to make general arrangements for tutorial or other academic counselling;
(i) to exercise any other functions, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, which may be delegated to it by the governing body; and
(j) to implement any regulations which may be made by the governing body concerning any of the matters aforesaid.
With the approval of the governing body, the academic council may establish such and so many committees either consisting wholly or partly of persons who are not members of the college as it thinks proper to assist the academic council in the performance of its functions and may determine the functions of any committee so established.
Section 9 enables the college to appoint such members of staff as are necessary subject to the approval of the Minister and the Minister for Finance and to determine the conditions of service and pay of such staff subject to the approval of the Minister and the Minister for the Public Service.
Section 10 provides that the staff serving in the ad hoc college may be transferred to the service of the statutory body and protects the conditions of service, pay and pension rights of the transferred staff, which will not be any less favourable than the conditions they enjoyed while serving as members of the staff of the ad hoc body.
Section 11 places responsibility on the college to prepare and submit to the Minister as soon as possible after the passing of the Act, a pension scheme for staff. All provisions of any pension scheme submitted by the college will be subject to the approval of the Minister with the concurrence of the Minister for the public Service. Every approved scheme will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and may be annulled by resolution within twenty-one sitting days.
Section 12 requires the governing body to submit to the Minister annually a report of the work of the college. The section also provides that the college will give the Minister any information about its operation that he may require from time to time.
Section 13 provides that in each year there shall, in accordance with Section 12(2) of the Higher Education Authority Act, 1971 be paid by the Higher Education Authority to the college, out of moneys received by the Authority under Section 12.1 of the Higher Education Authority Act, 1971, a grant or grants of such amount or amounts as the Authority think fit.
Section 14 requires the college to keep accounts which must be submitted annually to the Comptroller and Auditor General. When received by the institute the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General must be submitted with the accounts to the Minister. The Minister will lay the accounts before each House of the Oireachtas.
Section 15 enables the college to charge fees for admission to courses, lectures, examinations, exhibitions or any other event held by the college or for admission to any event held at the college.
Section 16 is the usual provision that the expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of the Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtais. Section 17 provides for the short title and the commencement date.
Thomond College of Education is a national instution and fills a long-felt gap in our teacher training system. It provides superb facilities for training teachers in particular areas of specialisation. A college such as this is particularly relevant to current educational needs when the emphasis is on encouraging and developing practical skills as well as factual and theoretical knowledge, and on the encouragement of physical fitness and sport as an essential part of education.
Ba lease liom críochnú gan mo mheas a chur in iúl do na daoine a bhí freagrach as cúrsaí oiliúna na Roinne a stiúradh thar na blianta faoi choinniollacha oibre nach raibh i gcónaí fábhrach — is é sin le rá lucht eagraithe na gcúrsaí, na múinteoirí agus na coistí gairm-oideachais — ní bheadh sé indéanta na cúrsaí a eagrú gan comhoibriú uathu san uilig. Tá de chúram ar Choláiste Oideachais Thuamhumhan leanúint leis an dtraidisiún suntasach seo ach tá bonn curtha leis an ghnó a fhágann ar chumas an Choláiste glacadh leis an dúshlán.
Molaim an Bille don tSeanad mar thogra a bhfuil lán-mhuinín agam as ó thaobh leas na tíre agus an oideachais.
