Mr. Hubert Loftus:

The allocation is given annually to each ETB and that is based on the number of students in the schools within that ETB. It is an overall allocation for the ETB because they are employed by the ETB as distinct from being employed by the individual school. That gives a certain level of flexibility in terms of ensuring the best management of that at ETB level. They are managing that taking account of the particular needs and number of pupils in individual schools. Each of the ETBs are required to return to the Department information on how they utilise that allocation. That is something that comes back into the Department.

Separately, there was an internal audit of teacher allocations and that was done across all of the ETBs.