Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
204. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide details of the primary school teaching course now offered by the National Tertiary Office to include the number of places that will be available this year; the selection process for prospective students; the cost to students of the course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34600/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department and I have worked with the Minister for Education and Youth and her department, the National Tertiary Office, and education providers in the further and higher education sector to develop a tertiary pathway to Primary Initial Teacher Education. The objective is to provide a diversified pathway into primary teaching aimed at those who are under-represented in the profession.
Mary Immaculate College are offering 30 places on this programme in collaboration with Limerick Clare ETB and Tipperary ETB.
The tertiary degree will take the form of a 1+4 programme– an initial preparatory year primarily taught in a further education setting, followed by the existing four-year Bachelor of Education degree. Successful completion would therefore lead to an academic qualification approved by the Teaching Council.
In the first year in the ETB, there will be no fees. Students can avail of the SUSI maintenance grant while they are studying in the ETB. Once the students progress to the HEI they will be subject to the same fees as their peers on the traditional pathway. They can then avail of financial support such as the Free Fees Initiative, the SUSI fee and maintenance grants, the 1916 Bursary, and the Student Assistance Fund, subject to meeting eligibility criteria.
In order to achieve the aim of diversifying the teaching profession, and increasing access to higher education, it was decided that students will be prioritised for entry onto the programme if they are from socio-economically disadvantaged areas, were educationally disadvantaged (i.e. attended a DEIS school), or are from one of a number of priority access groups.
Applications can be made for this course from the NTO website until the 28th of May. Places will be allocated through the following process:
Applicants will have to provide evidence that they meet minimum entry requirements, and will be asked to write a personal statement.
Applications will be assessed to determine the shortlist for interview, which takes into account whether they meet the access criteria, their experience, their aptitude, and their passion for the teaching profession.
Applicants will then be interviewed by a panel including ETB and HEI providers who will score them based on a matrix.
Applicants who score the highest will be offered a place on the course.
Should an applicant not take this place, it will be offered to the next highest scoring applicant.
The launch of this course is a key achievement for my department and the Department of Education and Youth, and is an example of how alternative pathways can widen accessibility for high points, high demand courses.
