Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It is over a three year programme. As the Deputy is aware the question of the detailed implementation of the programme is a matter for the Minister for Education and Science. As a general point, the question of allocation of teachers in any year is based on the intake of the previous September, as the Deputy is aware. The question is to establish in what way we can deal with any specific issues that arise based on criteria which are to be worked out by the Department. That will inform how those extra teachers will be provided for and it is quite apart from the extra teachers that will be provided because of demographic change. It is a commitment for a further improvement in the situation based on the changes that took place in 2007.

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