asked the Minister for Education the pupil/teacher ratio in Drogheda VEC school; and the expected ratio for the coming year.

Teaching posts for the Drogheda Vocational Education Committee are allocated each year on the same basis as for other committees, namely, one teacher for each 17.5 pupils in whole-time enrolment, with an appropriate addition for the principal teacher, the vice-principal teacher, the guidance teacher and other teachers related to part-time courses.

How does that pupil teacher ratio compare with the other schools in the same town?

It is exactly the same.

Last year a number of vocational education teachers could not be appointed because of the rule that the same amount of money had to be spent on teachers' salaries in the present year as in the previous years.

Teachers are appointed on the basis of one teacher for 17.5 pupils.

Is that the case at present in the Drogheda vocational education school?

That is the case in the vocational education area. The allocation of the teachers to the various schools within the area is a matter for the vocational education committee.

I asked a question specifying the vocational education school in Drogheda. What is the pupil teacher ratio there?

I do not know. All I have is the information about the vocational education committee area.

That is not the question I asked. I put down a specific question in relation to the vocational education school in Drogheda.

Is that the only vocational education school in County Louth?

There is one in Drogheda and some in other places, but this is the one I asked about.

I misunderstood the question. I am talking about the pupil teacher ratio in the VEC areas. I am not sure of what the ratio would be within a particular school in that area.

Could that question be repeated next week so that the Minister could give me specific information about that school in Drogheda. I do not want to bring the Minister back on the Adjournment.

The Deputy may submit the question and it will be looked at in the ordinary way.

Question No. 30, please. Order.

Can the question be repeated next week?

I can give the Deputy no such guarantee.