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

We are not gutting education. In fact, we have managed, despite the growing demographics, to maintain pupil-teacher ratios. I have discussed the general issue of the loss of these posts with a number of education partners. It is a concern which we want to address. I appreciate that the school to which the Deputy refers is in a very disadvantaged area and is DEIS band 1, but it has a principal and deputy principal post. It also has one assistant principal post and six special duty posts in the current school year. Due to the retirement of a teacher in the school, the number of assistant principal posts reduced from two in 2013 to one in 2014. I acknowledge it has lost one post. It has a number of other similar posts.

I am aware of the difficulties within which DEIS band 1 schools operate. There is a system which allows posts to be retained in certain situations. Unfortunately this school does not fit into that category. It has an extra post which DEIS band 1 schools retain. The various partners in education I have met in recent months have made me aware of the fact there are issues around management and middle management posts in primary and post primary schools, and I want to address that as soon as I can.

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