Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to outline for the House the position on staffing in schools, particularly the schools referred to by the Deputy.

The key factors for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September, those being the October returns. Previous budgets of 2016 and 2018 improved the staffing schedule. Budget 2021 implemented a reduction of one point for the 2021-22 school year so that primary schools were allocated teaching posts on an average basis of one classroom teacher for every 25 pupils. Budget 2022 progressed the ongoing major investment in our primary education sector by providing a further reduction of one point for the 2022-23 school year so that primary schools would be allocated teaching posts on an average basis of one classroom teacher for every 24 pupils in September 2022. This brings the staffing schedule to a further new historical low for primary schools. Lower thresholds apply to DEIS urban band 1 schools. In addition, there has been a reduction of three points in the retention schedule, which has helped schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts.

The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain published criteria. The primary school referred to by the Deputy has had its appeal considered by the Primary Staffing Appeals Board and has been informed that it will retain its current staffing for the 2022-23 school year, pending - this point is important - confirmation that the school meets the required enrolment threshold in September.

Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by the Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolments. The Department provides a staffing allocation to each education and training board, ETB, based on the overall enrolment of the schools within the ETB. The distribution of this staffing allocation is a matter for the chief executive officer, CEO, of the ETB based on the overall enrolment of the schools within the ETB.

The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department's website. In accordance with the published staffing arrangements, each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. Where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, the Department considers applications for additional short-term support, for example, curricular concessions as the case arises. This concession is available as a short-term support to enable essential curricular provision to continue.

The allocation processes include appellate mechanisms under which schools and ETBs can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The ETB can submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeal board, which was established specifically to adjudicate on appeals on staffing allocations in post-primary schools. The Post-Primary Appeals Board operates independently of the Department.

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