asked the Minister for Education the plans she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio.

10.

asked the Minister for Education when she envisages a movement towards the desirable objective outlined in paragraph 3.7 of the action plan in education, of an improvement in the pupil-teacher ratio in national schools.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together.

As stated in paragraphs 3.7 and 5.11 of the Programme for Action in Education 1984-1987 the Government are committed to improving pupil-teacher ratios as soon as financial circumstances permit.

Could the Minister explain what financial circumstances she is talking about? Could she also explain how, no matter what finances are available to her, she can manage it with the reduction in the number of teachers coming out of the teacher training colleges?

I thought I had mentioned that several other factors governed the number of teachers available as well as the numbers coming out of the training colleges. I am sure I do not have to explain to the Deputy what financial circumstances mean. A country must deal with financial circumstances year by year and it is the job of Government to see what is available.

There are other factors.

There are priorities.

Would the Minister explain the clear conflict between nearly a 50 per cent reduction over the last few years in the number of trained teachers coming out of the training colleges and the desirable objective as outlined in her paragraphs in the action plan for education? There is a clear conflict between the two statements. Statistical information is given on the teachers available and the desirable objectives in the book. Further, the Minister said that the Government must deal with a financial situation each year as they find it. Is that not also in clear conflict with an earlier answer in which she harked back to 1983?

In answer to the second part of the question, I do not accept that there is a conflict. I was pointing out the history of a decision in the first instance. As regards the number of pupil-teachers leaving the teacher training colleges, I have tried to make it clear that the Department make every effort to tailor the number of students going into the training colleges to their estimates of the number of teaching jobs available, taking into account various factors such as the numbers in the primary schools, projected increases, stability or decreases, and how many retirements will be coming on stream. It is very difficult to forecast precisely the number of teachers who will decide to retire in any year. We can forecast slightly more accurately the number of intake into primary schools. Very many other factors apart from the intake into teacher training colleges govern the number of teachers available.

I want a clear answer.

That is as clear as I can make it.

Does the Minister regard as satisfactory the current pupil-teacher ratio in national schools in the face of her oft-repeated assertion of special aid to the disadvantaged? Would she accept also that disadvantaged begins and can be identified very clearly very early on in primary school but that the greatest disadvantage is large classes?

I think I have made that clear on several occasions and I agree fully with the Deputy.