Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I thank you the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise the matter of the additional teaching staff required for Urlingford national school, County Kilkenny. Urlingford national school has ten teachers, including an administrative principal, a shared learning support teacher and a full-time resource teacher. At the moment the school has seven class teachers for 196 children and eight streams, giving an average of exactly 28 children per class. However, due to the necessity to divide a class and to minimise disruption in the school, there are two mixed classes — second and third class — with 34 children and a third and fourth class with 35 children. These are real figures that belie the pupil-teacher ratio figures we regularly hear about from the Minister for Education and Science. Technically, the pupil-teacher ratio of the school could be reckoned at 19.6:1 but the reality is much different.

The parents have been in contact with all public representatives in the area to highlight this matter. The current staffing numbers mean that a school the size of Urlingford national school would need another 13 children to gain another class teacher. In light of recent announcements by the Minister for Finance in the Book of Estimates, I hope the Minister for Education and Science will give priority to dealing with this difficulty which is caused by the fact that the particular class is to be divided. The Minister will understand that lower class sizes can only be achieved in a particular way in this school.

Will the Minister take account of the particular difficulties in Urlingford national school, which have been reflected in correspondence to the Department by the parents' council? I believe that public representatives generally would appeal to the Minister for Education and Science to resolve the school's dilemma in providing the best possible education to the children of Urlingford national school.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Hogan for raising this matter and will relay to the Minister the position he put forcefully. I thank him for this opportunity to outline to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science concerning staffing in primary schools, including Urlingford national school.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous year. The number of mainstream posts is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is finalised for a particular school year following discussions with the education partners. The staffing schedule is set out in a circular which issues from the Department of Education and Science to all primary school boards of management. Accordingly, all boards are aware of the staffing position for their school in any school year.

Urlingford national school had an enrolment on 30 September 2003 of 196 pupils which warranted staffing for the 2004-05 school year of a principal and seven mainstream teachers. The school also has the service of a resource teacher and a shared learning support teacher. According to data submitted to the Department of Education and Science by the board of management, the enrolment of the school on 30 September 2004 was 197 pupils. The staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule which is expected to be notified to boards of management in March 2005.

Urlingford national school is included in the rural dimension of Giving Children an Even Break. The school benefits from supplementary funding to provide additional educational supports for the children concerned. The Department has engaged in an overall review of its educational disadvantage programmes with a view to building on what has been achieved to date, adopting a more systematic, targeted and integrated approach and strengthening the capacity of the system to meet the educational needs of disadvantaged children and young people. Any decision to expand or extend any of the initiatives aimed at addressing educational disadvantage is being considered in the context of this review, the outcome of which my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, hopes to announce shortly.

I can confirm that the special education section of the Department has no outstanding applications for special needs resources from the school in question. However, if any applications for special needs resources are received, they will be considered in accordance with the Department's criteria.

I hope that is somewhat helpful. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, to keep Deputy Hogan informed of progress in this regard.