The Dáil has heard that the Government will create more than 1,700 additional new full-time posts in education next year.
Mr Howlin said that 920 mainstream teachers, 480 resource teachers and 365 SNAs.
He also promised that there will be no increase to the pupil/teacher ratio, and no increase in class sizes.
The Expenditure Minister said that the education budget will be €8.3bn for 2015 and €530m will be spent on Education for Capital Expenditure.