Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. He says we all agree that savings need to be made. If he agrees with that premise, then it is not enough to suggest that he change the pupil-teacher ratio without providing an alternative to make savings.

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position on the budgetary measure relating to the staffing of small primary schools, to which I assume he is referring. There is no scope in this year's departmental budget to reverse this measure or indeed any of the budget measures concerning teacher allocation at second level. Furthermore, the unallocated deficit in the education budget for 2013 is €77 million, and €147 million for 2014. There are no easy solutions to this challenge.

The Government has protected education as much as it can. Far greater reductions in the number of public servants are being made in other sectors relative to those in schools, but there are limits on the number of teaching posts we can afford. In the case of primary schools, there is no increase in the staffing schedule general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level. However, there is a phased increase in the pupil threshold for the allocation of classroom teachers in small primary schools. As part of the budget decisions announced, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a teaching post in small primary schools will be gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014.

The schools concerned are those with four or fewer classroom teachers with enrolments of fewer than 86 pupils.

All schools are being treated equally irrespective of the type of patronage. The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. With the notable exception of those Deputies who are in larger conurbations, we all represent constituencies where there are strong and viable rural communities, so we are very conscious of this issue as well. The small schools will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. However, this does not mean that small schools can stand still or never have their staffing levels changed to something that is more affordable and sustainable for these difficult and challenging times.

The teachers in small schools cannot be immune from the requirement that is being asked of all public servants to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources. Even after all these budget measures are implemented, small schools will, in relative terms, be better staffed than medium to larger schools, which are currently operating at a general average of one classroom teacher for every 28 pupils.

The phasing of these measures can provide the schools concerned with time to consider the potential for amalgamation with other schools where this is feasible. If amalgamations take place, they will be voluntary and follow decisions taken by local communities and not by the Department. The Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the 73 small schools that are losing a classroom post as a result of the budget measure. These schools will not lose their classroom post if any of them are projecting increased enrolments in September 2012 that would be sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term. The detailed arrangements are set out in the Department's staffing circular that is published on the Department's website. The appeals board meeting is taking place this week and schools will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

A value for money examination of small schools, to which the Deputy referred, has been carried out and the Department expects to publish the analysis and findings of that in the near future. I hope this report will foster constructive engagement both in the Oireachtas and among all interested parties in examining the challenges ahead and how best to provide for primary education in rural and dispersed communities.

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