Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of school days taken by unqualified teachers in the latest year for which figures are available; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties experienced by school principals in obtaining fully qualified substitute teachers; if she has proposals to address this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13017/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The figures requested by the Deputy are not readily available in my Department. I am aware, however, that the primary sector has experienced a shortage of trained teachers in recent years mainly as a result of the creation of a large number of additional posts — more than 4,000 since 1997 — in our primary schools. The difficulties experienced were aggravated by the number of teachers availing of career breaks and job sharing schemes. With regard to the difficulty of getting trained teachers to work as short-term substitutes, this would be more pronounced in rural areas.

My Department introduced a range of measures to address the shortage of qualified teachers and I am pleased the number of unqualified teachers in our schools has significantly reduced. It is important to acknowledge that the colleges of education have done much to increase the output of primary teachers to meet the needs of schools arising from significant additional teacher allocations in recent years.

Since 1999, more than 1,000 students have been admitted annually to the bachelor of education programme in the colleges of education. Since the 1995-96 academic year, an 18 month postgraduate course has been provided in the colleges of education. The total intake to the colleges of education in the current academic year is circa 1,280 students. This compares with an intake of 500 in 1996-97.

There are currently some 3,500 students enrolled and pursuing various stages of primary teacher training programmes in the colleges of education. In addition, graduates of the new primary teacher training course, which is being accredited by HETAC and delivered by Hibernia College, an on-line third level educational company, will be recognised for the purposes of primary teaching.

I am committed to ensuring that the shortage of qualified teachers will be eliminated as speedily as possible and, in this context, my Department will continue to consider initiatives and keep developments under review.