Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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There is a fear that the two-teacher Drumboylan national school in the parish of Ardcarne in north County Roscommon will lose a teacher. Eighteen or 19 pupils will attend it in September 2014. Under the September 2013 review, the requirement is for 20 pupils on the roll. Drumboylan had 17 at the time. In March, the school appealed its staffing schedule in the hope that it would have 20 pupils this September. Currently, there have been 18 enrolments, with strong interest from another family and even further afield, meaning that the school should have 20 enrolments by the end of September. The school has been notified that its appeal was successful, but it needs 20 pupils. It has done a great deal of work in this regard and while it will definitely have 18 or 19 pupils in September, there is considerable anxiety and fear among the teachers, the board of management, parents and the local community that a threat is hanging over it. The parents are finding it very difficult to remain positive as they face into a new school year.

We need to be cognisant of that. The threat hanging over the school is causing huge anxiety in the community and it could undermine interest and confidence in the school unless there is certainty in this respect. Parents have already indicated that they are not interested in sending children to a one-teacher school. From a health and safety point of view, if an incident were to occur in the schoolyard or a teacher were to suddenly become ill, what would happen to the young children in the classrooms?

Unfortunately, in the past two years there has been a dip in enrolment in the school, but it is obvious from the number of births and the number of families and couples moving into the area that there will be 20 to 25 pupils enrolled in the school within a few years. I ask for some leeway and personal intervention to ensure that this case is thoroughly investigated and everything possible is done to facilitate the teachers, parents and students in this close-knit rural area.

As many people will know, Drumboylan national school is the backbone of the local community in the area. It has a great track record. On this occasion we need some certainty. We need some flexibility to ensure that parents, teachers and the community reach their goal, which they are happy to do, and keep the school functioning in the area. I hope the Minister of State will be able to look favourably on this request.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position with regard to staffing in primary schools. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools are published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The key factor in determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual schools is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September, as I am sure the Deputy is well aware. The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for allocating mainstream teaching posts to all schools. It operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. It currently operates on the basis of a general average of one classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS band 1 schools. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeals board.

As part of the budget 2012 decisions, there is a phased increase in the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools with four teachers or fewer. The first phase of the budget measure took effect from September 2012. The final phase of the budget measure takes effect from September 2014. The Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the schools that are affected by the budget measure. In this regard, small schools will not lose their classroom post if they are projecting sustainable increased enrolments in September 2014 that would be sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term.

Drumboylan national school has two classroom teachers in the current school year based on an enrolment of 17 pupils at 30 September 2012. The enrolment at 30 September 2013 was 17 pupils, which entitles the school to one classroom teacher for the coming school year. The school is projecting an enrolment of 20 pupils for 30 September 2014.

The school submitted an appeal to the February 2014 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board under the small school criterion, seeking the retention of its second classroom post for the 2014-15 school year based on the projected enrolment of 20 pupils at 30 September 2014. A projected enrolment of at least 20 pupils at that date is required for the school to remain as a two-teacher school. Given that it projected 20 pupils, the appeal was provisionally upheld by the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. This retention of the second teacher in Drumboylan national school is conditional on the school achieving the projected 30 September 2014 enrolment figures. The board of management of the school has been notified of this decision. The appeals board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. In these extremely challenging times, all public servants are being asked to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources, and teachers in small schools cannot be immune from this requirement. The Minister is mindful of the concerns of smaller schools and rural schools. Our overall primary school enrolment has been growing rapidly in recent years and this is going to continue. In managing the resource consequences of this, it is important that decisions on school provision and organisation are based on a rigorous evaluation of requirements and needs, not just at a local level but also at both regional and national levels.

Our current configuration of small primary schools has been examined by the Department in a value for money review. This review took account of the ethos of schools and the locations of small schools relative to other schools of a similar type. The Minister is currently considering the report of the value for money review of small primary schools and he is doing this in consultation with his Government colleagues. His intention is to publish the report on completion of this consideration process. I am not in a position to give a precise publication date at this time.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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We need to recognise that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. I recognise that, as, I believe, does the Minister. I understand that value for money must be secured across the board. On this occasion, I ask that deadlines not be written in stone and that flexibility be shown to the parents, teachers and the community, who are trying to ensure that the school will have more pupils to bring the number up to 20. The school needs only one more pupil to bring it up to that number. I hope that over the summer the school will be in a position to reach the required enrolment of 20 pupils. We are seeking some flexibility and understanding. We will continue to work with the Minister now and in coming few months to achieve that goal. I think the Minister of State for taking this topical issue.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The projected number of pupils for Drumboylan national school, as I have outlined, is 20. If those numbers are maintained, the school will retain its second teacher. The school has a projected enrolment of 20, which is the minimum that is required for the retention of a second teacher post. Hopefully, that will remain the position, and if it does, the school will retain the second teacher post.

A value for money review has been carried out and the report of that review has been submitted to the Minister, Deputy Quinn, who is currently studying it. That review could have a bearing on the final outcome with regard to decisions. Therefore, it is important keep an eye on matters as they move along.