Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Paul Connaughton and Brendan Griffin for raising this important issue. I apologise that I was not able to attend the House to discuss this issue last week. The Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, and I were both appearing before the Select Committee on Education and Skills to discuss the Estimates. I note, however, that Deputy Brendan Griffin spoke about this issue earlier in the summer when he explained to me the position on small schools in his locality.

The staffing arrangements for primary schools include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional classroom posts on developing grounds. These are not the types of school the Deputies have highlighted. In addition, a staffing appeals process is available to schools, including a new criterion for the 2014-15 school year which is aimed at schools that make a significant contribution to absorbing demographic growth.

The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities and they will continue to be a feature of the education landscape. The staffing schedule at primary level disproportionately benefits small primary schools. It is worth noting that more than two thirds of the 3,200 primary schools have more than 86 pupils and, therefore, a much higher average class size than all of the schools affected by this measure. For example, a two teacher school with 32 pupils has an average class size of one teacher for 16 pupils. In contrast, a typical ten teacher school with 272 pupils has an average class size of 27.2 pupils. Nevertheless, I accept Deputy Paul Connaughton's point that teachers in smaller schools must teach a number of different classes.

Notwithstanding the phased increases implemented in the period between 2012 and 2014, the threshold for small schools will still be significantly lower than the minimum of 28 pupils that was required for the appointment of a second teacher in schools prior to the mid-1990s. An appeals process is available to small schools affected by this budget change. A school with four classroom teachers or fewer which is losing a teacher or failed to gain an additional teacher as a result of the budget 2012 measures can submit an appeal to the primary staffing appeals board. Details on the appeals process are widely available.

I acknowledge that specific issues arise in respect of populations that are geographically spread out, including those to which the Deputies referred. How best to sustain provision for widely dispersed and small communities presents a particular challenge, especially in localities where school enrolment is declining to single figures and amalgamation is not an option because there are no other schools in the locality.

The value for money examination of small schools was referred to on the Order of Business. The document specifically addresses the issue of the location of small schools relative to other schools of a similar type. I intend to publish the report as soon as I have discussed it with my Government colleagues. The report is under active consideration. I am aware that the issue the Deputies raise presents a significant problem in areas where the population is widely dispersed. The Government will consider the matter.

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