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Dail Éireann · 2023-04-19

Part of Topical Issue Debate

Teacher Training

FF Anne Rabbitte · Galway East · Minister of State at the Department of Health

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Summary of this debate

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The initial teacher education policy statement which the Minister launched last month presented a vision for policy and provision across the sector which can ensure that student teachers at primary and post-primary level have the skills to support all our children and young people as learners in the years ahead. He will see that there are opportunities for the TU sector to contribute to initial teacher education, as outlined.

The Minister hopes that he will understand that her Department's policy consideration is that it is important to ensure our student teachers have excellent preparation that has the advantage of a critical mass in high-quality research and teaching. This policy reflects the findings of international experts on how the structures of initial teacher education in Ireland can best ensure high-quality education.

Built by scoring every sentence in the debate on how distinctive its language is, then quoting the highest-scoring ones back word for word and in the order spoken. Nothing is paraphrased or invented — if a sentence appears here, it was said in the chamber. Drawn from 607 words across 4 contributions by 3 speakers.

Most used terms in this debate

How often each word appears across the whole debate, ranked by how distinctive it is to this debate rather than common to all parliamentary language.

teacher 5
education 8
initial 5
setu 2
policy 6
collaboration 3
teachers 3
high-quality 2
unedifying 1
sector 4
teaching 2
health 4

The full debate

All 4 contributions, start to finish, in the order they were made. The one you came here for is highlighted.

FG Bernard Durkan

The reason for this inquiry is to identify issues of a particular importance that arise from time to time and the need to respond by bringing forward the relevant meetings of the committees, if necessary, to deal with these. In particular, I mention housing, which is an ongoing issue that needs to be dealt with very regularly. I also mention health, which is an obvious one because we need to get back on a straight and level path with a view to identifying the issues at an early stage and with a view to resolution. The third issue relates to education and school places and transport. School transport has been an issue of particular importance throughout the country for quite a number of years but without resolution.

FF Anne Rabbitte

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. The initial teacher education policy statement which the Minister launched last month presented a vision for policy and provision across the sector which can ensure that student teachers at primary and post-primary level have the skills to support all our children and young people as learners in the years ahead.

LAB Ivana Bacik

When will the Cabinet committee on health be reviewing or considering the report by Maura Quinn into the proposed secondment of the former Chief Medical Officer, CMO, to Trinity College Dublin? In our view, the report raises a number of serious issues about dysfunction at the heart of Government. First, there was a total lack of proper processes in the appointment as outlined. Second, there was a failure of ministerial accountability where it appears the Minister for Health did not know about, or was not made aware of, what was going on with very senior officials in Government. Most critically, it reveals serious accusations being made by senior civil servants against each other at the heart and centre of Government. This raises particular concerns at this time, especially when so many postgraduate researchers across third level are having difficulty in accessing funding. It is unedifying to see these findings. Will the health committee be considering the report, and if so, when?

FF Anne Rabbitte this contribution

The Minister understands the Deputy's desire to ensure that the SETU can achieve its full potential and contribute to the economic and social development of the south east. He will see that there are opportunities for the TU sector to contribute to initial teacher education, as outlined. The Minister hopes that he will understand that her Department's policy consideration is that it is important to ensure our student teachers have excellent preparation that has the advantage of a critical mass in high-quality research and teaching. This policy reflects the findings of international experts on how the structures of initial teacher education in Ireland can best ensure high-quality education. The objective in publishing the policy statement is to improve the overall quality of initial teacher education. This will involve practical measures that will improve available evidence and enhance the already strong collaboration within the sector. It requires collaboration within the sector and also collaboration between Departments and State bodies, such as the Teaching Council. It will ensure that our newly qualified teachers have the necessary tools to support them in their aim of inspiring, enlightening and preparing pupils and students to succeed in life.

Following the recent publication of the initial teacher education policy, statement correspondence has been received from the SETU and a reply is being drafted. Contrary to the Deputy's comments, I cannot look into the crystal ball to see beyond what the Minister has told me. There is no outcome. The draft reply is being produced.

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