Falling pupil enrolments and high numbers of teaching graduates could lead to an oversupply of primary school teachers by 2029.
According to The Irish Times, there will be 13,000 more teachers than will be required to meet demand, with a technical report by the Department of Education stating pupil numbers in primary schools are likely to fall significantly between now and 2036.
The number of pupils at primary level is expected to decrease by more than 130,000 over the next 15 years, meaning the 13,000 teacher surplus will increase to 17,000 nine years later.
The extra teachers may lead to a decrease in class sizes, which has repeatedly been called for due to the State's primary level class sizes being among the highest in Europe.
The Government has already said the pupil-teacher ratio for primary schools will fall to its lowest level ever recorded in the next academic year when it reduces to 25 students per teacher.
Primary teachers could also be retrained as second level teachers, where pupil numbers are expected to increase by more than 30,000 up to 2024, before falling by 75,000 to 2036.
The same report states there will also be an oversupply of second level teachers due to this later fall in pupil enrolments, but the number of extra teachers for secondary schools will be significantly lower.
