Vol. 427 No. 8
79 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education if having regard to the non-pay elements of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, one of which pledges that every child will be entitled to six years in secondary school, she will give details of the plans, if any, she has to provide additional teachers and additional space to provide for this.
Under the terms of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress all pupils who commence their post-primary education in September, 1991, and in subsequent years will have the option of a six year cycle of post-primary education. The allocation of teachers to post-primary schools will continue to be determined by reference to the number of pupils enrolled. Requests from school authorities for additional accommodation to cater for increased enrolments will be considered favourably by my Department. In the allocation of teachers and the provision of accommodation account will be taken of the fact that the increase in enrolments arising from the six year cycle option will be temporary as it will be offset by a declining post-primary school intake due to a fall in the birth rate.
