asked the Minister for Education the number of primary teaching posts expected to become available for graduates of teaching colleges during 1989; if she has any plans to provide additional positions for such graduates; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

The number of teaching posts which will become available in national schools in 1989-90 will be determined by reference to the schedule governing the appointment and retention of staff, the school enrolment on 30 September 1988 and the numbers who leave the teaching service during the summer of 1989 by virtue of retirement, career breaks and other reasons. A portion of the posts which become available will be filled through the redeployment of teachers whose posts are discontinued because of the expected fall in enrolment, and the remainder will be fillable by recruitment. It would not be possible at this stage to accurately predict the number of jobs which would become available to new graduates.

The present schedule governing the appointment and retention of staff in national schools will remain in force in the 1989-90 school year but will be improved by one unit cumulatively with effect from September 1990. The Deputy will be aware that that is the agreement that has been entered into. There will be reviews of the situation after that.

Obviously no one could expect the Minister to be accurate at this stage of the year. Nonetheless, I would suggest that in the Department of Education everything is decided by numbers. Can the Minister give any general indications at this stage as to the number of teaching posts that will be available, given the present resources, and compare that with the number of trainee teachers who will be coming out of the training colleges? Would she agree that there is a vast number of young people coming out of our training colleges who have no prospects whatsoever of securing teaching jobs in this country because of the current state of education here?

To answer the first part of the question, I wish I could be accurate but at present it is all a matter of gathering and compiling the returns of 30 September. One imponderable is the number who voluntarily retire for various reasons or who retire on grounds of disability. That is a number we can never put a figure on. Another imponderable is the number who seek career breaks. One never knows from year to year what that number will be. I would be very glad to answer this question later when the figures are more readily identifiable. I would like to be more precise about it if I could.

Question No. 9.

I wish to ask a very brief question.

You did hear the Minister's reply.

I will be very brief. From what the Minister has said may I take it there are no plans for the filling of additional positions? Would she accept that inevitably there will be an exodus of teachers, particularly to England? Has she regard to the problems being encountered in England by graduates from our teaching colleges in terms of gaining recognition there?

The Deputy is widening the subject matter of the question.

That is a separate question. I am aware of their difficulties.

Question No. 9 please.

A Cheann Comhairle——

I have called Question No. 9.

I wish to ask a brief supplementary.

Sorry, Deputy, I have called No. 9.