Marino Institute of Education, Dublin, and St Mary’s University College Belfast have established a partnership to improve accessibility for candidates in northern counties who wish to take the taught course and assessment for the Irish Language Requirement (ILR). This development is supported by the Department of Education.
Following a planning phase, staff from the two higher education institutions met in St Mary’s on Monday, 23 January to work together on the programme. Coordinator for the Irish Language Qualifications Office in the Marino Institute of Education, Peadar Mac Giolla Bhríghde, along with colleagues Dr Marie Whelton and Dr Aodán Mac Suibhne, delivered a training workshop in St Mary’s for course tutors. Four members of staff from St Mary’s participated in the workshop with a view to accommodating teachers who would find it convenient to prepare for the ILR and to carry out the examination in St Mary’s. St Mary’s staff who participated in the programme were Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir, Dr Sean Mac Corraidh, Mr Padaí de Bleine and Ms Aileen Nic Íomhair.
Prospective applicants who wish to fulfill the IRL for primary school teachers have a choice of two distinct routes to achieve the requirement. Candidates may decide between the An Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge (SCG) Aptitude Test or the Oiriúnú le hAghaidh Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge (OCG) Adaptation Period.
St Mary's University College has agreed to be one of the outreach centres where a taught course may be delivered and also to provide a centre for the administration of the Aptitude Test.
The two teams from Marino Institute of Education and St Mary’s University College have been planning this development to widen access to the ILR during the past year and have expressed their commitment to this new collaborative initiative.
