Independent: In a classroom in Dublin's Marino Institute of Education last Saturday, a small but important building block was laid with a view to improving the structural diversity of Irish education.

Almost 40 students, all foreign-trained teachers living in Ireland, were on the first day of a bridging programme aimed at helping them to develop and apply their knowledge and skills in an Irish context - and, importantly, to get work here.

Participants, who include both primary or post-primary teachers, came from 17 countries: Spain, India, Poland, Brazil, Hungary, South Africa, Croatia, UK, Italy, USA, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Russia, Iceland, Romania, Lithuania and Latvia. Read article