Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For clarification, those jobs are at both primary and second level. I am pleased that I have been in a position to significantly expand the recruitment of teachers. Some 2,300 new teachers were recruited in 2016-2017 and 2,900 will be recruited in 2017-2018. That figure of 2,900 is 21% more than the number announced in budget 2017. All of the 2016-2017 posts have been successfully filled and the process for filling the additional posts in the current year is almost complete. We are successfully filling the posts that we are making available.

Overall, the number of graduates emerging from initial teacher training at primary level is approximately 1,750 and that at second level is approximately 1,500 per annum. I am aware of certain reported difficulties in recruiting substitute teachers at primary level and in a number of particular subjects at second level. There are difficulties in developing a reliable model of teacher supply at second level, which was recognised in the work of the Teaching Council. This is because teaching is competing with many other sectors for graduates in areas such as maths, science, and Irish.

I have taken some immediate initiatives to ease some of these pressures. Some have been in respect of retiring teachers who remain eligible for periods of more than five consecutive days if they continue to be registered with the Teaching Council. I have also increased the limits for employment while on career break at post-primary level to a maximum of 300 hours in a school year and to a maximum of 90 days in a school year at primary level. The matter of the employment of bachelor of education and professional master of education students in limited circumstances on a short-term basis is still under consideration.

I have also taken particular subject area initiatives such as increasing the number of students admitted to St, Angela's, Sligo, to follow the home economics programme, which is one of the areas of tightness, with further expansion in future years. As part of the policy on Gaeltacht education, I have made funding available for the provision of two additional posts to the máistir gairmiúil san oideachas - professional master of education programme - in NUI Galway.

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