Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 3

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Alan M. Dukes

Question:

50 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Education and Science the size of the demographic dividend at primary and secondary levels; and the consultations, if any, he will have with the education partners regarding the deployment of these teachers. [8182/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The demographic dividend at primary level this year is of the order of 230 posts. Officials of my Department have been engaged in an intensive consultation process with the education partners in recent months and a number of discussions have taken place concerning the allocation of teaching posts arising from the dividend.

The Deputy will be aware from my recent announcement that, in addition to the aforementioned 230 posts, I am allocating an additional 150 posts in order to effect further substantial reductions in class sizes in primary schools.

The Deputy will appreciate that teacher allocations at second level are considerably more complex than at primary level and the term "demographic dividend" is not particularly appropriate.

This arises from a number of factors including the subject specialisation of individual teachers, variable patterns of demographic change and a comparatively inflexible redeployment model.

Projected enrolments in second level schools including those in post leaving certificate courses suggest a decline in numbers of the order of 4,000 to 5,000 pupils each year over the next number of years. This decline will not be uniform and we are likely to see schools in some rural areas experiencing falling numbers while some schools in urban areas actually increase their enrolments.

I recently announced a major funding initiative for the education sector. As a core element of this, a total of 225 new second level teachers will be appointed this year. These new teachers will enable a move towards the provision of a remedial resource in all second level schools.

The package is being resourced by allocating an additional teaching provision to schools which are within quota and lack the appropriate remedial and home-school provision. In the case of schools with over-quota teachers who might otherwise be redeployed, this resource will be used in the first instance to meet the remedial and home-school needs of the school.

In addition a retention ratio of 18:1 will be utilised. This will allow schools, which have teachers over-quota following implementation of the package, to retain teachers who might otherwise be redeployed. This will give schools greater certainty in the utilisation of these permanent teachers pending the occurrence of retirements.

My Department will continue the process of consultation with the interested parties in relation to the most efficient and effective use of available teaching resources.