Dáil Question to the Minister for Education

I agree with the Deputy about the challenges faced with rapidly increasing enrolments in our schools. This is why certain budgetary measures regarding teacher allocations have been introduced and further measures will be required in future years in order to manage teacher payroll costs. Teaching resources are allocated to schools on a school year basis. Unlike most other areas of the public service teaching vacancies are being filled in accordance with published Department criteria.

The number of teaching posts that we can afford to fund in schools in the coming years is a matter that I will have to consider with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of budgetary requirements and meeting our obligations under the EU/IMF Programme.