Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, NAPD, has raised serious concerns about the shortage of qualified teachers to deal with the soaring number of pupils that is expected to enter the second level system. The association's director, Mr. Clive Byrne, has predicted - I am sure the Minister will concur - a 15% increase in new students in six years' time.

They are particularly concerned, as are others in the education system, that there are no data available on the number of teachers likely to retire in the next few years while we are experiencing that increase in intake, whether there is a disproportionate number likely to retire from particular subjects, and on the number of teachers emerging from teaching colleges sufficient that we do not experience shortages in particular subjects. Has the Department sought research on these figures? If so, where are we with it at the moment? Have any particular likely shortages for the future been identified?

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