Written answers

Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Department of Education and Skills

School Staffing

9:00 pm

Photo of Robert DowdsRobert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of qualified primary teachers who will emerge in 2011 from the State teacher training colleges. [18275/11]

Photo of Robert DowdsRobert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of qualified primary teachers who will emerge in 2011 from the privately run colleges which provide primary teaching qualifications. [18276/11]

Photo of Robert DowdsRobert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of jobs that are available this year for those emerging with primary teaching qualifications. [18277/11]

Photo of Robert DowdsRobert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has powers to limit or increase the numbers undertaking courses which lead to primary teacher qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18278/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 216, to 219, inclusive, together.

The level of student intake to the state funded Colleges of Education is determined annually by my Department and it takes account of the supply of, and demand for, primary teachers. The level of intake to these Colleges has decreased in recent years in light of available resources and factors impacting on demand. Approximately 1,350 students will graduate from the State-funded Colleges in 2011.

The Graduate Diploma in Primary Education offered by Hibernia College has been recognised for the purpose of qualification as a primary teacher for almost ten years. As Hibernia College is a privately-owned institution providing a privately run course, neither my Department, nor any other State body, has a role in regulating the number of students enrolled. It is estimated that over 650 students will graduate in 2011.

The process of allocating teaching resources to schools for 2011/2012 and the arrangements for filling vacant or new teaching posts, including temporary posts, takes place in the context of the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland and the Public Service Agreement 2010/2014. It is necessary for my Department to exercise additional control and reporting measures this year to ensure that the numbers of teachers employed in schools is consistent with the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland. This requires that all permanent and fixed term positions are in the first instance made available to those surplus teachers with either permanent contracts or contracts of indefinite duration.

It is the intention of the Department to restore recruitment from fixed-term teachers on the main panels, supplementary panels or public advertisement at the earliest possible opportunity, after all the surplus permanent teachers have been redeployed.

My Department has recently advised schools that they can proceed to fill fixed-term vacancies subject to a contingency being held for possible future redeployment of any remaining surplus permanent teachers. These fixed-term vacancies and remaining permanent vacancies that are not required for the redeployment of surplus permanent teachers will create opportunities for fixed-term teachers and newly qualified teaching graduates.

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