Fact File

Courses: Five colleges offer BEd degrees which qualify graduates to teach in primary schools (second round cutoff points, 1999).

St Patrick's, Drumcondra (460)

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick (445*)

Froebel College, Sion Hill, Blackrock, Co Dublin (440*)

Church of Ireland College of Education, Dublin (385*)

Colaiste Mhuire, Marino, Dublin (440*)

Places are reserved for Gaeltacht applicants in four colleges and the cut-off points (round two 1999) are significantly lower ranging from 405* in Colaiste Mhuire and Froebel to 420 in St Patrick's, Drumcondra, Mary Immaculate, Limerick.

Church of Ireland College of Education : Generally, places in the Church of Ireland college are reserved for members of the traditional Protestant churches. It is estimated that there are about 40 teaching vacancies in Protestant schools at present.

Salary scales: £14,809 to £28,784 per annum in 25 increments (salary scales as of Ist August 1999; supplied by the Department of Education and Science). There are also allowances for various qualifications and posts of responsibility. For instance, the principal's allowance ranges goes from £4,451 to £13,854 per annum, while the deputy principal's allowance ranges from £1,801 per annum to £8,730 per annum.