§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his assessment of the Irish Government's continued Irish language requirement for secondary school teachers with United Kingdom qualifications; and if he will test this requirement at the European Court of Justice. [26734]
§ Mr. AncramThe Irish Government's Irish language requirement for secondary school teachers with United Kingdom qualifications corresponds with the teaching qualifications it requires of its own nationals. I will accordingly not be referring this matter to the European Court of Justice.
§ Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Irish schoolteachers had their qualifications recognised under EU rules in 1993–94 in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain; and how many United Kingdom school teachers had their qualifications recognised in the Irish Republic. [26733]
§ Mr. AncramForty-five Irish schoolteachers in Northern Ireland and 198 in Great Britain. The number of United Kingdom schoolteachers in the Irish Republic is a matter for the Irish Government.