Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 432: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of permanent whole-time teaching appointments sanctioned in each vocational education committee nationwide over the past ten years; the number of permanent whole-time teaching appointments sanctioned in the non-VEC secondary sector nationally over the past ten years; and the teacher allocation relevant to each of these individual sectors. [19776/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The number of permanent teaching posts available in VEC schemes 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 VEC scheme, as employer, to determine whether any particular post when vacated may be filled on a permanent basis. The number of permanent whole-time appointments in each VEC over the past ten years is therefore not readily available within my Department.

The information recorded on the database for secondary and community / comprehensive schools indicates that there were 14,870 appointments to permanent posts in the 2000/2001 school year in Secondary and Community/ Comprehensive schools.

In recent years the school managerial authorities have awarded contracts of indefinite duration to whole time and regular part-time teachers employed in their schools to comply with the agreed terms of the Fixed Term Act, 2003. In the current school year there are 15,339 holders of contracts of indefinite duration and permanent posts in secondary and community/comprehensive schools.

When deciding on the number of teaching posts, if any, which may be filled in a permanent capacity in a particular school year, the school authorities must take account of the approved teacher allocation for the school for that year, the number of permanent teachers currently employed, including those on approved leave, the overall limits as to the level of permanency as agreed from time to time and the need for flexibility to cater for the needs of all of the pupils attending the school. The assignment of teachers to individual classes within the overall approved allocation is a matter for the authorities of the school concerned.

I am committed to providing information in relation to the allocation of teachers to schools and VEC's as a new feature on my Department's website. The process has begun with the provision earlier this year of initial information on the allocation of mainstream classroom teachers to primary schools under the revised schedule for 2009/10.

Information on the teacher allocations to second level schools and VEC's, whether enrolment related or otherwise, is currently being compiled into a format for publication on my Department's website in the coming weeks. My intention is that, just as is the case with the information provided in relation to primary schools, this information will identify the changed position for second level schools and VECs arising from the October budget decisions.