asked the Minister for Education the number of primary teachers who qualified in 1975; and the number who are still without teaching positions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Primary Teachers.
12.
The number of national teachers who qualified in June last was 1,100. As at 30th September last, it appears that all but 88 of these teachers have taken up duty in national schools. It also appears that some managers have been unable to fill existing advertised vacancies.
Would the Minister state how he proposes to fill vacancies which will arise in the normal course next year?
As the Deputy will appreciate there are sources of supply of teachers other than the training colleges. I refer to graduate trainees, English and Northern Ireland trainees and the possibility of the restoration of extended service to be mentioned later.
Is the Minister stating that he is reverting next year to the situation which obtained last year? Did he make the changes in relation to teachers over the normal age, teachers trained in Britain and so on, for one year only?
I am not making any statement in regard to it other than the one I have made. I will publish details of decisions when they have been finalised.
Am I to take it from the Minister's reply that teachers who have been trained in Britain and the Six Counties will be granted recognition next year?
The Minister has no option.
The details of the scheme will be published in the near future.
Of what scheme?
The restoration of the scheme hitherto entered into in relation to those teachers.
After this academic year will we revert to the position that obtained before the Minister stopped recognising people from the North of Ireland and Britain?
We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure an adequate supply of teachers for our national schools.
Does this mean that there is no hope in the near future of improving the pupil-teacher ratio?
It depends on what the Deputy means by "the near future". If it means a few years it may be possible to do something about it.
Would the Minister not agree that the proper use of the number of teachers who were trained this year would have been to improve the pupil-teacher ratio position? Would the Minister not agree that his action in insisting on those over 65 years of age retiring and refusing to give recognition to English trained teachers meant that the improvement which was possible with the number of teachers trained this year is not possible now and that there is no hope for a considerable time of improving the pupil-teacher ratio?
The answer to the first part of the Deputy's supplementary is "no" and, therefore, the second part does not arise.
Would the Minister write to Deputy Barry Desmond and tell him that?