115 Mr. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education if she will make the post of woodwork and building construction instructor permanent in the vocational school in Roscommon in view of the vital importance of these subjects to students attending this school both for their junior and leaving certificate examinations, and for employment in local industry. [6842/96]

My Department has approved an additional teacher allocation to the vocational education committee concerned to cater for the provision of woodwork in the school referred to by the Deputy.

There are a number of supernumerary teaching posts in this particular vocational education committee. In view of the surplus staffing situation in the scheme and the difficulty in accommodating the number of permanent whole-time teachers already employed I am not prepared to sanction any further permanent whole-time appointments at this time.