Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

I thank both Deputies for raising these matters as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and, in particular, to outline the position regarding the proposed building project for St. Mary's national school in Virginia and the situation relating to its staffing levels. It is good to see two Deputies from the same constituency working together as a team. I wish them well in their efforts.

Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools, as well as responding to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth, is a major priority for the Government. Since taking office, this Government has shown focused determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure that the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

As evidence of this commitment, approximately 1,300 building and modernisation projects are active in our primary and post-primary schools during 2006. This year alone some €500 million is being spent on primary and post-primary projects throughout the country, compared to approx €90 million in 1997. Indeed, funding has progressively been increased in recent years with an aggregate total of over €2 billion between 2000 and 2005 and a commitment to invest a further €3.9 billion up to 2010.

I am sure the Deputies will agree that this record level of investment is a positive testament to the high priority the Government attaches to ensuring that school accommodation is of the highest standard possible. On top of this, to reduce red tape and allow projects to move faster, responsibility for smaller projects has been devolved to school level. Standard designs have also been developed for 8- and 16-classroom schools to facilitate speedier delivery of projects and to save on design fees. The design and build method is also used to expedite delivery where the use of standard designs is not possible. Taken together with the unprecedented level of funding available, these initiatives ensure that building projects are delivered within the fastest timeframe possible.

St. Mary's national school in Virginia is a co-educational primary school with a current enrolment of 309 pupils. In recent years an upward trend in enrolment at the school has necessitated a review by the Department of housing developments, demographic trends and enrolment trends in the area to ensure that any capital funding provided will deliver accommodation appropriate to the school's need into the future. On completion of this assessment, a decision will be taken by the Department and conveyed to the school on how best to provide for the school's long-term accommodation needs. A site visit will be required to inform the final brief for the project and the Department will be in contact with the school authority to arrange this at the appropriate time. Following the site visit, the brief will be completed and the project will be considered for progress in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2007 onwards.

I assure the House that school building projects are selected by the Department for inclusion in a capital programme on the basis of priority of need presenting, which is determined by published prioritisation criteria formulated following consultation with the education partners. The application of these criteria to capital funding submissions and the publication of the school building programme ensure that maximum openness and transparency applies to the school building and modernisation programme. Most importantly, this approach ensures that all schools applying for capital funding can know how their applications will be treated and when they are likely to progress.

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

The general rule is that the schedule provides at least one classroom teacher for every 28 pupils in the school. Schools with only one or two teachers have much lower staffing ratios, with two teachers for just 12 pupils in some cases and so on. Next year, this ratio will be reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher.

On 30 September 2005, St. Mary's national school had an enrolment of 278 pupils, which warrants a staffing for the 2006-07 school year of a principal and ten mainstream teachers. The school also has the services of one permanent learning support-resource teacher and one temporary language support teacher.

Within the terms of the current staffing arrangements for primary schools, there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. A developing school is defined as a school where the enrolment on 30 September of one year is projected to exceed the enrolment of 30 September of the previous year by a specified minimum numerical increase and by having an excess of five pupils above the required appointment figure.

I am pleased to inform this House that one such developing school post was sanctioned by the Department at St. Mary's national school for the 2006-07 school year based on an enrolment of 309 pupils. In the circumstances, the Department is satisfied that the school's staffing levels are consistent with its needs and nationally agreed protocols. I assure both Deputies that the Department is anxious to move ahead with the school's building project and every effort will be made to finalise an accommodation brief so that the project can move to the next stage.

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