IDA Ireland's latest annual report informs us that Ireland is moving up the value chain and that the foundation for future success will be based on innovation, education, skills and research. This week the Science Foundation Bill is being discussed on Committee Stage in the House having passed Second Stage by agreement. Today we find that by a schizophrenic decision of the Government, 300 teaching posts are to be cut in the area of physical sciences. On the one hand, IDA Ireland is setting out future strategy for the development of skills and innovation in our country, while on the other, the Government is cutting back 300 concessionary teaching posts in the area of physical sciences. How can the Taoiseach justify this?

I have seen the report. My information is that the number of teachers in the second level system will increase from 25,307 in the previous academic year to just under 26,000 for the academic year beginning in September. The number of pupils in the second level system has decreased by more than 32,000 in recent years, from 371,000 in 1996-97 to 339,000 in the academic year just gone. The pupil-teacher ratio at second level has fallen from 16:1 to 14:1 since 1996-97, and the projected ratio for the current school year is 13.6:1. More than 1,200 additional teaching posts have been created in the second level sector in the past four years.

The point made about curricular needs is that, traditionally, second level schools have been given an extra teacher allocation to meet curriculum needs where it is shown that such needs cannot be met from the normal staffing complement. Such allocations are made on a concessionary basis and are over and above a school's normal staffing allocation. Schools are expected to make every effort, and always have, to address their curriculum needs within their normal staffing complement. For the forthcoming school year, the Department of Education and Science informs me that the number of wholetime equivalent teaching posts being made available for curricular concessions is 699, which represents a reduction from 871 posts in the current school year. The curriculum issue, however, cannot be viewed in isolation from the overall school needs and staffing allocations for which I have just given the figures.

For the first time this year an independent appeals committee was established to consider appeals from schools regarding their allocations for curriculum needs. A total of 143 second level schools from almost 750 applications have submitted appeals and the committee has granted 65 posts. Those are the facts and figures.

A person would want a master's degree in calculus to figure out what that means.

It means there will be more teachers this year than last year, it is simple.

Does it mean that 300 concessionary teaching posts will be axed in September? Does it mean that pupils who are currently studying minority subjects will suffer as a result? Does it not make a mockery of the task force estab lished by the former Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Woods, on physical sciences that stated that science education should be addressed in every school plan and that the teacher allocation should be enhanced in post-primary schools with low physical science enrolment? If this report is true, does it not mean that 300 posts are being axed? It is directly contradictory to the IDA's report and the report of the former Minister, Deputy Woods, and means that students following minority subjects will suffer from September onwards. They are being condemned by a tunnel of darkness that the Government should not stand over. It is a completely schizophrenic decision and I would like the Taoiseach to confirm whether it is true. I do not need a litany of figures and statistics, I want to know if the Government is to axe 300 concessionary posts in September.

The report suggested that the number of teachers being lost to the system is close to 600. I gave the bottom line figure, that for the forthcoming school year the number of whole-time equivalent teacher posts being made available for curricular concessions is 699, a reduction from 871 posts in the current school year. The point was made that the curricular issue could not be taken in isolation from the schools' overall needs and staffing allocations. The figures for staffing allocations were up, the number of pupils was down and the pupil-teacher ratio was down. We also made the point that 1,200 teachers were provided over the past few years.

Minority subjects, particularly science and engineering, are important and we have emphasised that in the programme. I have given the figure for the reduction but, in the overall figures, I have also given the number of extra teachers in the second level system.

Is that a yes or a no?