As thousands of Irish and non-Irish children get set to return to education after the summer break this week, it is fitting that our thoughts again turn to educational standards and the debate turns to how all the children on this island should be taught.

Fine Gael Education Spokesperson Brian Hayes opened a can of worms last week by suggesting that immigrant children with poor English language skills be segregated from Irish children so that they can improve their fluency in the English language before being admitted to mainstream education. Mr Hayes has subsequently said that he regrets his use of the word 'segregation' but defended his call for separate classes for children with poor language skills. He has also stressed that he was only referring to children in post-primary education.

Depending on which side of the debate you are on, Mr Hayes is either a racist or someone prepared to finally lift the lid on the immigrant education debate.

According to reports, there are 60,000 students in the school system who come from foreign backgrounds, which is presenting problems within the educational system among other areas. So, how should we deal with the situation so that everyone can get the best possible education?

Separating children into different classes initially seems like the obvious option. According to a report in a national paper during the week, the countries that have been successful in bringing immigrant students to the same levels as their native peers, have included in their systems a preparatory phase where immigrants first focus on language development.

However, this must be done sensitively, uniformly and in accordance with best practice. English language incompetence isn't confined to children from outside Ireland. What of children from Gaelscoileanna, whose competency in the English language is not up to scratch, or students from an all Irish speaking background whose English language skills might not match that of their peers?

The increase in the number of immigrants in our society presents issues across the board and teachers, like health care providers etc have to roll with the punches.

Mr Hayes is to be congratulated for starting the debate on the issue, albeit with an unfortunate use of language. However, this is an issue for teacher education. The Department of Education needs to provide the necessary training and resources so that teachers are equipped to deal with the challenges.

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