Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 6

Written Answers - School Staffing.

Richard Bruton

Question:

450 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the calculations underpinning the briefing issued by his Department in the context of the Estimates indicating that the net demographic dividend would be about 300 teachers at primary level, showing in particular the gross number of schools expected to lose teachers, the expanding schools requiring new teachers, the allocation to meet breaches in maxima and the net numbers available for assignment to remedial resource or other selected priority areas. [23892/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I must emphasise that the precise demographic dividend at primary level for the 1998-9 school year has not yet been determined. The exact dividend will be determined only following a close scrutiny of every single school's actual enrolment.

The figure of 300 mentioned in the Estimates is merely a projection based on expected enrolment decline combined with anticipated demands, projected on the basis of trend in recent years.

It is anticipated that the size of the 1998-9 dividend will be known more accurately early in 1999. At that stage, consideration will be given to the manner in which the dividen will be utilised.