§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 15 January (WA47) concerning teacher training qualifications, what are the qualifications 125WA that are sometimes additionally required in order that teachers trained in the United Kingdom can teach in the Irish Republic. [HL1166]
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)Teachers in primary schools, second level teachers in Gaeltacht schools and teachers who are required to teach through the medium of Irish must satisfy the Department of Education and Science in the Republic of Ireland that they are competent to teach the Irish language before being granted full recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools. Teachers trained in any other member state of the European Union whose qualifications have been assessed and accepted by the Department of Education and Science in the Republic of Ireland but who do not possess an appropriate Irish language qualification are granted a five-year period of provisional recognition to teach in national schools.
Applicants for posts in voluntary secondary schools whose teacher training courses have not adequately covered the history and structure of the Irish education system aspect are required by the registration council to study for and undertake a written examination.
The Joint Teacher Qualifications Working Group, established under the Belfast agreement, is examining the issue of teacher qualification, including the issue of additional fees, in the context of teacher mobility. The issue will also be considered by the General Teaching Councils for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, together with representatives of the Republic of Ireland (which is still in the process of establishing its GTC).