Madam, - Liam Ó Geibheannaigh (September 28th) is rightly concerned about the balance of male and female teachers in our education system. However, he restricts his concern to primary schools, where female teachers predominate. In universities, men make up roughly three-quarters of the faculty - an imbalance to which he makes no reference.
A gender-balanced Teaching Council (The Irish Times, September 16th) will effectively give a disproportionate voice to the minority of male teachers in primary schools. Is it a coincidence that gender balance is most acceptable when it has this effect? Would gender balancing in the universities generate a similar level of enthusiasm? - Yours etc.,
Prof PAT O'CONNOR, Dean, University of Limerick.