Higher Diploma in Arts (Gaeilge) and registering

Can you register as qualified to teach a subject without a degree in it?
I could be mistaken, but I don't think it's possible.

NCW feen wrote: »

I completed this course recently in UCC. Need to register it now with the dreaded teaching council. Has anybody gone about registering as a teacher of Irish after doing this course ? Is it straightforward and how long did it take ?

I know somebody who registered with the TC without problem after doing the same (60 ECTS 2nd & 3rd year degree credits) course in UCD. The TC sought a letter from Scoil na Nua-Ghaeilge in UCD confirming that the person had successfully completed 1st Irish as well - which the School secretary duly did. Unjustifiably, however, the Teaching Council did not seek any evidence of the person having spent 3 months in a Gaeltacht, even though the person concerned had gone to considerable expense to do so. An issue should be made of the TC's refusal to abide by its own criterion on this issue, as reiterated as recently as October 2013: 'Applicants must provide officially certified evidence of satisfactory achievement in primary degree studies (or
equivalent) as outlined hereunder ...'Residential experience of at least three months in an area designated as a Gaeltacht area'.

I would go further and say a proper system whereby people who are teaching Irish have the option of attending specially-designed courses for Irish teachers in the Gaeltacht regularly needs to be put in place. As far as I can see, the only course this summer is in Dún Chaoin for a paltry 5 days in August. Make them tax deductible or do something so it's not exorbitantly expensive on the teachers in question, but there is a problem with the standard and intensive, suitably-tailored courses for decent time-periods as a primary means to address this are distinctly absent. I wouldn't be in favour of forcing teachers to attend them as such people will only undermine the teachers who genuinely want to improve, but perhaps successfully completing such intensive courses could be recompensed by an allowance system in acknowledgement of further educational effort and achievement. Rant over.

Never have I heard of the TC following up to verify anyone's 3 months in the Gaeltacht.

The stipulation should be removed entirely because it's a load of rubbish.