Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and for facilitating the debate, because it was deferred last week. I also thank the Minister for attending. This is a serious issue relating to pupil-teacher ratios, PTRs, in two schools. The first is Donaghpatrick national school in Caherlistrane, north Galway. When the school forwarded its enrolment numbers to the Department a number of months ago, it had the correct number to secure an additional developmental teaching post. However, through no fault of the school, a family had to leave the area for economic reasons, reducing the number of pupils by three. Unfortunately, that has left the school in a terrible predicament whereby it will lose the developmental post at the end of October. The concern for the school is that this will result in a class of 42 students in junior and senior infants, which is unacceptable. This is also causing a great deal of concern for parents. To add insult to injury, the post will be given back to the school next year and, therefore, for the sake of four or five months, 42 students will be put together in one classroom. It is unacceptable and I would like the Department to demonstrate some flexibility in retaining the teacher and taking the pressure off the teachers and pupils.

The second school is Cappataggle national school near Ballinasloe, County Galway. This relates to the changes in the PTR for two-, three- and four-teacher schools in rural areas. If the school enrolment remains as it is, the school will lose a teacher next September. This is unbelievable, because the State pumped a great deal of money into the school a number of years ago. If the post is lost, the two classrooms that the money was invested in will no longer have a teacher or students. I acknowledge that budgetary measures have been implemented, but could the PTR for 2013 be used? This would give the school an opportunity to retain its allocation.

We need a review of how teachers are allocated. It makes no sense to remove a teacher from Donaghpatrick national school when the post will be given back to the school next September.

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