asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the grave implications the cuts in vocational education will have in that they could result in the loss of a subject in a school, for example a woodwork teacher may be made redundant with no other teacher in that school to replace him/her; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Vocational School Staffing.
58.
I do not accept that the application of the revised arrangements for the staffing of vocational schools will involve undue difficulties for the school authorities in providing a suitable programme of instruction for their pupils. I should mention that teaching staff allocations are issued to vocational education committees on a global basis; the assignment of teachers to individual schools is a matter for the committees themselves.
The terms of the redundancy scheme for vocational teachers will be issued today to the Vocational Education Committees. In deciding on which teachers are to be offered voluntary redundancy my Department will bear in mind the needs of the schools based on the recommendations of the vocational education committees. In considering applications and before making recommendations on their acceptance, committees will take into account all the pertinent factors including the resulting effects on the curriculum.