Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)

The Minister for Education and Youth is considering how best to make further progress as part of the annual budgetary process in reducing the primary pupil-teacher ratio in the context of the programme for Government. With regard to the appeal for Belgrove, the primary staffing appeals board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final. I do not know if there is an appeals process to that independent board, because it meets some of the criteria, such as projected school numbers for next year. I do not know if there is a mechanism to go back there.

I will ask the Department to correspond with both Deputies in that regard to see if there is a mechanism within the independent process to appeal the appeal. It is hard on the parents, the children and the board of management to try to work through this. It deflates the buzz that should be in schools when they lose a teacher and staff member. I thank both Deputies for bringing up this important issue and will see whether an appeal of the appeal can be made.

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