Gaeltacht course fee for teachers
Deputy McNamara says online Gaeltacht courses for Teaching Council registration cost almost as much as in-person courses but lack reimbursement for private-sector students. The Minister agrees it seems unfair and undertakes to ask the Department to respond directly.
To register with the Teaching Council, teachers are required to do an immersive Gaeltacht course. That costs €1,500 and includes bed and board. That is not possible this year so they are doing an online course instead, for which they are being charged €1,300. Students on State courses will have that reimbursed but those in the private sector will not. Does the Minister accept that the charge of €1,300 for an online course is exorbitant when it is only €1,500 for a course which includes bed and board? Will he look into having this remedied?
Comment on this
I do accept that and I can understand the Deputy's frustration and why he wanted to ask the question. It is a fair question but I do not have the answer to it immediately. It seems unfair and I will ask the relevant Department to come back to the Deputy on it directly.