1399. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has plans to increase teaching allocations to secondary schools so new entrants can be guaranteed full-hours contracts instead of part-time, low-income hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58817/26]

Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. In accordance with these rules, each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered are in the first instance, a matter for the school management authorities.