Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

That does mean that if none of the changes were being made there could have been over 1,000 primary teachers more in the system in September 2009 than are currently in the system. Some public statements seem to be based on a scaremongering claim that there will be a drop of over 1,000 teachers in the schools. It is a disingenuous use of "potential" additional posts that might have been created to imply a loss five times greater than what will be the real net impact. I reiterate that the budget is based on paying only 2,000 fewer primary teachers in September.

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