Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and for giving me an opportunity to outline the position of the Department of Education and Science.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment for the school on 30 September of the previous year. The number of mainstream posts is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is finalised for a particular school year following discussions with the education partners. The staffing schedule is set out in a circular which issues from the Department to all primary school boards of management. Accordingly, all boards are aware of the staffing position for their school in any school year.

The staffing schedule for the coming school year, 2004-05, is outlined in circular 03/04 of the Department of Education and Science, which issued to all primary schools in April and is also available on the Department's website. Mainstream staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the current school year is a principal and eight mainstream class teachers based on the enrolment of 220 pupils on 30 September 2002. The school also has the services of a learning support teacher, a resource teacher, two posts catering for educational disadvantage and a shared home school liaison teacher.

Based on an enrolment of 172 pupils on 30 September 2003, the mainstream staffing for the school year 2004-05 will be a principal and five mainstream class teachers. The school also fulfils the criterion for appointment of an administrative principal based on staffing of a principal plus nine teachers when all posts are counted. In such instances a permanent teacher may be appointed to replace the principal. This will facilitate a staffing of a principal and six mainstream class teachers and the net loss of posts as a consequence of applying the staffing schedule is two mainstream posts. There are no plans to adjust the additional posts allocated to the school under various support schemes, so they will stand.

To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent appeals board is now in place to decide on any appeals. The criteria under which an appeal can be made are set out in Department's primary circular 19/02 which is also available on the Department's website. The appeals board will meet shortly to consider appeals on the mainstream teaching allocation to schools for the 2004-05 school year. The House will appreciate it is not appropriate for the Minister for Education and Science to intervene in the operation of an independent appeals board. I thank the Deputy once again for raising the matter in this House.

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