asked the Minister for Education whether, in view of the statements of his Department's representatives before the National Teachers' Arbitration Board that there is no shortage of national teachers, he will state whether he is now in a position to implement the policy referred to by him on 23rd March, 1950, by fixing a date after which no further untrained teachers will be recruited.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Recruitment of Teachers.
What was stated to the National Teachers' Arbitration Board by my representatives was that there is no shortage of candidates for training as national teachers.
There is a shortage of trained teachers for posts in national schools due to the fact that it had not been possible to expand training college accommodation at a rate sufficient to keep pace with the increased demand for trained teachers arising from the continually increasing numbers of pupils in national schools and the improved staffing conditions introduced in 1948.
Arrangements have, however, been made for the enlargement of three of the existing training colleges. In the case of women lay teachers the number of places available has already been increased from 340 to 475, and it is hoped that 570 places in all will be available as from September, 1956. This represents an increase of 115, that is from 170 to 285 in the number of newly-trained women teachers becoming available each year.
It is not expected that this expansion of training college accommodation will enable the accumulated shortage of trained teachers to be overcome for some years. In these circumstances it is regretted that it is not possible at present to fix a date after which it would be feasible to implement the intention of having only trained teachers appointed to the position of junior assistant mistress.
Is the Minister aware that one of the witnesses from his Department is reported to have said that while there were plenty of national teachers available there was a scarcity of technical teachers?
Ah, no.
The Minister ought to contradict that statement.
If I were required to contradict all the things on which there are slight slips the Department of Education would be working half its staff on contradictions rather than on constructive work. The statement that was made was that the shortage of teachers in vocational schools is not limited to Ireland; it is general. There is no shortage of candidates for national teachers.
If that were reported properly it would not be necessary for me to ask the question.
Check the Irish Press, so.
It was not the Irish Press; it was the Examiner.