Vol. 509 No. 2
147 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the gross demographic dividend in the year 2000 at primary and secondary levels; the net number of teachers liable to be available; and the way in which this compares with 1999. [20051/99]
As the Deputy may be aware, the staffing of primary schools is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with guidelines agreed between this Department and the education partners.
The enrolments of primary schools on 30 September 1999 are being submitted by the managerial authorities to my Department at present. The enrolments must be verified and checked within my Department and compared with the existing staffing schedule before the information requested by the Deputy can be provided. The Deputy will appreciate that, as there are in excess of 3,000 primary schools, it will take some time to process the information.
I will arrange to have the information requested by the Deputy forwarded to him at the earliest possible date.
The identification of a clear demographic dividend at second level is a much more complex operation than that at primary level. At second level the range of subject options and programmes offered to students has increased significantly in recent years and continues to increase. The net effect of this is that schools increasingly need additional posts over and above those warranted on a pure pupil-teacher ratio basis.
A fall in pupil numbers will, in theory, result in a drop in teaching posts. Against this must be balanced the very real consideration that schools will continue to require a significant proportion of these posts to provide a rounded curriculum for their pupils. In practice, therefore, the ultimate extent of the demographic dividend, if any, can only be defined after curricular needs of schools are met.
