Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 411: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the categories of teachers that will make up the 800 extra to be employed in 2007; if it is intended that these teachers will be on the payroll from the school year beginning 1 September 2007; the number currently in training at primary level potentially eligible to teach from that date; the number of resource and special needs teachers estimated within the 800; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39621/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, this Government has provided for the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. The number of primary school teachers has increased by 4,000 since 2002 alone. We have reduced the average primary class size to 24. With the unprecedented increases in support staff, there is now one teacher for every 17 primary school children, down from one for 22. Children who need extra help are getting more support than ever before.

But we are determined to go even further, and so the 2007 Estimates include provision for another 800 primary teachers. The final determination of posts between these categories has yet to be decided. The employment of a teacher is the responsibility of the Board of Management of a primary school, however it is anticipated that the additional teachers allocated by my Department will be in place by 1 September 2007.

There will be approximately 1,280 graduates from the Colleges of Education and it is also estimated that there will be circa 400 graduates from the Hibernia College in 2007. The Deputy will of course be aware that as well as filling extra posts in schools, newly qualified teachers will be needed to replace retiring teachers. The level of retirements has been quite high in the past few years. For example, since January 2006 approximately 620 primary teachers have retired.

This Government has shown a clear determination to improve the staffing in our schools and we will continue to prioritise this issue going forward.