Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 31 Jan 1990

Vol. 395 No. 1

Written Answers. - Permanent Primary Teachers.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

70 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education the number and percentage of primary teachers who graduated in 1988 who are now in permanent employment in primary schools in this country; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

Graduates from the primary training colleges may be employed as permanent temporary or substitute teachers. Approximately 758 teachers, permanent and temporary, leave the service for various reasons each year.

Temporary teachers are employed to replace teachers on career break, unpaid maternity leave and unpaid sick leave. There are 1,253 teachers on career breaks of one to five years' duration. The majority of these posts are filled by recent graduates. Three hundred and thirty four teachers who graduated in 1988 obtained a first appointment as temporary teachers since graduating.

Graduates are also employed as substitutes. In the analysis of a sample of 1,114 trained teachers employed as substitutes in the 1987-88 and 1988-89 school years 120 teachers who graduated in 1988 were employed as substitutes.

Twenty six teachers who graduated in 1988 are in permanent employment in primary schools. This represents 4.5 per cent of the graduates in that year.

There are many graduates in recent years who have opted to teach abroad to gain experience before seeking employment as national teachers in this country.