Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697803750035.pdf (Ireland)
Speech by Mr Richard Bruton T.D.

Minister for Education and Skills To the Joint Committee on Education and Skills 5th July 2018 in relation to the proposed Employment Equality Act 1998 (section 12) (Reservation of vocational training places) Order 2018, a draft of which has been laid before the Oireachtas for approval.
I am pleased to be here at the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to discuss this draft Ministerial Order and the proposed resolutions for the Dáil and Seanad to approve it, as required by legislation.

This order will allow Dublin City University to reserve 32 places on its Bachelor of Education (initial teacher education) programme for entry for the next five academic years, under a derogation allowed by section 12 of the Employment Equality Act.
The order has been prepared following a request made to me by Dublin City University, which is linked to commitments made as part of the incorporation of the former Church of Ireland College of Education into DCU in 2016.

The programme has academic accreditation from DCU and also accreditation from the Teaching Council for teacher registration purposes.
Its purpose is to ensure the availability of teachers to primary schools with a Church of Ireland and reformed Christian ethos and in order to maintain the religious ethos of such primary schools.

Similar orders were made by previous Ministers in 1999, 2003, 2008 and 2013.

The most recently made Order expires on 31 August 2018.
The policy context for this order is the incorporation of the former Church of Ireland College of Education as part of DCU, along with St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra and Mater Dei Institute of Education, in 2016 This incorporation of that College into DCU was a direct response to recommendations in a key 2012 report for the Department of Education and Skills: The Report of the International Review Panel on the Structure of Initial Teacher Education Provision in Ireland.
That Report examined the capacity of the initial teacher education landscape to contribute to excellence in education.

Its key recommendation was a move to consolidate initial teacher education programmes in six new “centres for teacher education” which would represent a reduction on the number of institutions involved.
These new centres would facilitate high quality teacher education in a university setting where there would be a critical mass in terms of research capacity and scope for better engagement across different levels of education.

The incorporation of the College into DCU, along with St. Patrick's College, and Mater Dei Institute of Education, was a direct response to this policy recommendation.
This incorporation is a very significant achievement and a major contribution to the teacher education landscape in Ireland.

The new DCU Institute of Education has a staff of more than 125 full-time academics and a student body in excess of 4,000.

It provides, on a unified campus, ITE across the full continuum including early childhood, primary, post-primary and further education.

A follow up Report on the initial teacher education landscape was commissioned by the HEA in 2018.
It’s not yet published but initial findings recognise the strong research culture and significant and growing reputation of excellence of the new DCU Institute of Education.

Commitments were made, as part of the incorporation, to ensure that that the distinctive identity, values and learning that the Church of Ireland College of Education protected would be maintained in teacher education.

The draft Order is being made under the Employment Equality Act 1998, Section 12.
The Act prohibits discrimination on a wide range of grounds, including religion.

While the primary focus of the Act relates to employment, it includes a provision relating to discrimination when offering courses of vocational training, including teacher training.
However, section 12, subsection 4, of the Act provides that, for the purpose of ensuring the availability of teachers to primary schools which are under the direction or control of a body established for religious purposes or whose objectives include the provision of services in an environment which promotes certain religious values, and in order to maintain the religious ethos of the schools, a derogation from the prohibition of discrimination may apply.
This order has been prepared to facilitate such a derogation, following an application by DCU.

The Minister for Justice and Equality has indicated his consent, as is required by the Act.

I fully acknowledge that the place of religion in education is changing.

However, it is important that, against this backdrop, the particular needs of minority religions of the State is recognised.

Deputies will note that this is also reflected in the approach taken as regards the Admissions Bill.
In conclusion, renewal of the derogation is consistent with the commitments made as part of the creation of the DCU Institute of Education and also with Department policy.

I thank the Committee for its consideration of this important issue.