Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Heydon for raising this issue.

The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts are set out in an objective way and are applied uniformly across the country. In budget 2016, the then Minister announced a one-point improvement to the primary staffing schedule which reduced the average pupil-teacher ratio to 27:1. In September 2015, enrolment at Rathangan boys' national school was 254 pupils with nine classroom teachers. It submitted two appeals seeking to gain an additional teaching post for the 2016-17 school year under criterion G of the agreed appeals criteria. This covers alleviating some of the pressure on class sizes at infants level for schools which make a significant contribution by absorbing demographic growth. This appeals criterion is targeted at schools which are not gaining an additional teaching post under the developing schools criteria but, nevertheless, make a significant contribution to the provision of school places which assists the response to demographic growth within their area and, as a result, means they are under significant pressure on their class sizes at infants level.

A key indicator in the case of these schools is a significant increase in junior infant enrolments.

Several criteria are set out and it is these that the appeals board considers. One is fairly standard in that, if a school is providing an additional class, it must receive prior approval, although that is not the criterion that applies in this instance. The other point is that four tests are applied. First, it must be the case that the school is projecting, on a realistic basis, an increase in overall enrolments for the coming September and the level of the projected increase should, first, be sufficient for the school to gain an additional teaching post for the 2017-18 school year, assuming no change in the staffing schedule and, second, insufficient for the school to gain an additional teaching post for the 2016-17 school year under the developing school criteria. Second, it must be the case that the school had an increase in its overall enrolments in each of the past two years, 2014-15 and 2015-16. Third, it must be the case that the number of junior infants enrolled in the school is increasing each year and that it enrolled a minimum of 30 junior infants on 30 September 2014. Fourth, it must be the case that, as a result of the increasing enrolment of junior infants, the school is under significant pressure in its class sizes at infant level, that is, at junior infants and-or senior infants.

Each application to the appeals board will be considered on its merits. The appeals board will assess whether, in its opinion, the school is deploying all of its mainstream classroom teachers in an appropriate manner. It will prioritise those schools that, in its opinion, are under the greatest pressure in their class sizes at infant level as a result of the increasing enrolments of junior infants. Any post granted by the appeals board will be allocated on a provisional basis pending confirmation of the actual enrolments on 30 September 2016.

The appeals board determined that both appeals did not satisfy all of the published criteria as set out in the circular and the board of management has been so notified. The appeals board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. I am sorry that the news is not better, but these are the criteria which are set out clearly. There is no discretion in their operation.

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