asked the Minister for Education the number of graduates from primary school training colleges who did not take teaching posts in a primary school in the years 1970 to 1977; and whether they were required to refund their training costs or suffer any financial penalty whatever.

The information requested is as follows:— 1970 : 3; 1971: 11; 1972: 11; 1973: 22; 1974: 20; 1975: 24; 1976: 25.

The relevant figure for 1977 is not yet available. The persons concerned were not requested to make any refund.

Is the Minister not slightly alarmed by the rising numbers of people who are going through this expensive training course and not taking up teaching positions in our schools? Will the Minister indicate whether he is prepared to circularise those graduates who have left in this way in recent years and offer them positions in primary schools now?

I am not alarmed. The numbers increased as the numbers in training increased so that the percentage is not all that different. Secondly, it is not true to say that they necessarily are lost to teaching because some of them go on to do post-graduate work, further study, some of them get married and do not teach for the time being while others go to teach in post-primary schools. It should also be remembered that some go to developing countries. There are various categories and I submit the numbers we are talking about are not significant.

Have the Department ever taken legal action to recover loans to students.

Not since 5th July, I can assure the Deputy. I am not law greedy.

26.

asked the Minister for Education the total cost in 1978 and the annual cost thereafter of the abolition of all classes over 40 in primary schools; and if he will specify the method of calculation and give a breakdown between current and capital costs.

It is estimated that 1,600 additional teachers would be needed in order to ensure that, with proper organisation, no class in a national school would exceed 40 pupils.

The total cost in a full year of the salaries of 1,600 additional teachers would be of the order of £7.5 million.

The total capital cost of providing new classroom accommodation for 1,600 teachers, if such were necessary in all cases, would be of the order of £19 million.

Can we take it that these teachers, and the amount of capital provision that may be necessary, will be provided by the Government during their term of office?

I can assure the Deputy that I am pushing ahead as far as I can and I am not exactly playing with the wind all the time.

Although the Minister does not play with the wind he would have to have proper consultations.

The Leader of the Deputy's party, and Deputy Barry, a former Minister for Education, admitted that I had a good scheme. The Deputy should check with his Leader.

That was the Jesuit influence.

I have plenty of consultation with all the people available for consultation.

I can assure the Minister that he will have my support for any proper scheme he comes forward with but he should not mess around again.

Have faith in me.

I have not.

The Deputy should know that faith moves mountains, even me.

It did not move the ground rents.

We are spreading the area.

I am anxious to move a few questions off the Order Paper.

Can the Minister indicate the plans he has for increasing the output of primary school teachers in the next five or ten years?

I have assured the House on numerous occasions that, as we stated in our manifesto which was put before the people and got their approval in the general election, our number one priority will be the reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools. We cannot do this without recruiting more teachers. I intend to recruit the maximum number possible.

Will the Minister be recruiting 1,600?

Will he be recruiting 400 each year for the next four years?

I am pushing ahead.

How does the Minister plan to increase the number of teachers? Because he printed this proposal in a manifesto does not mean the number will appear.

I thought I should be asked questions but now I find that I am being addressed. There is an allocution to the Minister.

There is no planning.