Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It can be quite difficult to forecast the actual numbers, because teachers can retire at any time between the ages of 50 and 65. Statistics show that only 10% of teachers retire on age grounds - they retire across the age spectrum for a variety of reasons. In 2012 more than 3,300 teachers retired, but in 2013 only 1,670 retired. The figures vary from year to year and, obviously, the prediction for 2014 was not accurate.