Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 582: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of new permanent full-time teachers appointed in the past eight years in voluntary secondary schools, community and comprehensive schools and vocational schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11661/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Significant improvements have been made in the staffing of our second level schools in recent years. In the 2001/2002 school year, there were approximately 24,477 wholetime equivalent teaching posts allocated to second level schools. For 2006/2007, the corresponding figure is 25,484 wholetime equivalent posts. This increase in staffing has dramatically improved the pupil teacher ratio at post primary level in recent years. The pupil teacher ratio has fallen from 13.9:1 in the 2001/2002 school year to 13.2:1 in the 2005/2006 school year. The number of permanent teaching posts available in individual schools at any one time is determined in accordance with the agreed criteria relating to the application of the pupil teacher ratio. It is a matter for the individual school authority, as employer, to determine whether any particular post when vacated may be filled on a permanent basis.