Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the number of teaching positions in the primary school sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24420/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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This Government has protected education as much as it can. Far greater reductions in expenditure and in the number of public servants are being made in other sectors relative to those in schools. But there are limits to the level of expenditure on education and the number of teaching posts we can afford. The Budget 2012 measures in relation to the primary sector are set out in the documentation that was published by my Department last December. This envisages a net overall increase of about 250 posts at primary level between the current school year and the 2012/13 school year. This net increase in posts takes account of the impact of the budget measures and the additional posts allocated to individual schools that have increased enrolments.

The final overall staffing position for all schools at primary level will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and any appeals to the Staffing Appeal Board will have been considered.