asked the Minister for Education if he has any plans to rationalise the Irish qualifications required of (a) secondary and (b) vocational teachers.

I am not clear as to what exactly the Deputy has in mind by his use of the word "rationalise". I propose to look at the whole question of qualifications in Irish for secondary and vocational teachers at an appropriate time, but I have no immediate plans for changes.

Perhaps the Minister could give us some indication as to when the appropriate time might be? Is the Minister aware that there is a considerable difference in the type of Irish qualification required of secondary teachers and of vocational teachers? If the Department considers that an Irish examination is appropriate for second level teachers, should it not standardise such an examination?

I am not aware of the considerable differences that the Deputy says exists between the vocational teachers and the secondary teachers, consequently I cannot comment.

Is the Minister unaware that secondary teachers take an Irish qualification as part of their higher diploma and that vocational teachers take either the Ceard Teastas or the other exam depending on whether they had to teach Irish or not? Would the Minister agree that there are possibly substantial differences of standard between these tests?

In respect of a vocational teacher who is anxious to teach Irish full time he is required to obtain a pass in the examination of the Teastas Timire Gaeilge, otherwise there is no difference that I know of.