Galway Bay fm newsroom - A major study at NUI Galway has raised questions over a 'diversity gap' between pupils and teachers in Ireland.
The national study explored the socio-demographic backgrounds of entrants to primary teacher education programmes.
It found that while CSO data shows around 12 percent of the population identify as non-Irish, 99 percent of aspiring primary teachers are 'White Irish Settled'.
The study shows over-representation of Catholics, under-representation of the non-religious population, and lack of language ability apart from English and Irish.
The study, published in academic journal 'Irish Education Studies', calls for further discussion of measures to recruit individuals from minority groups.
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