Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 48: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools affected by his decision to remove 16 rural legacy posts as and from 31 August 2012; the reason these 16 rural legacy posts are not being saved in the same manner that the urban legacy posts are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14835/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Last January I asked my officials to examine the net impact, in terms of posts, that certain Budget measures would have on DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 primary schools. The main focus of this examination concerned additional posts allocated under disadvantage schemes predating DEIS. The outcome of this report was published last month and is available on my Department's website.

There are 328 DEIS Rural primary schools. This category of educational disadvantage has always differed to Band 1 and Band 2 and so was not within the scope of the review I had asked my officials to consider. DEIS Rural Primary schools have never been allocated preferential pupil teacher ratios as their rural location tends to ensure they have lower class sizes.

Arising from the decisions taken following the review, of the 328 DEIS Rural primary schools, 16 of these schools with legacy posts will lose one teaching post each.