Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important issue this evening, which relates to two schools in my constituency of Dublin North-East. I call on the Minister for Education and Science to revisit urgently the decision to cut back one teacher each from St. Kevin's junior national school, Donaghmede and SS. Peter and Paul's boys' national school, Baldoyle. I have been informed by the principals of both schools that the number of pupils in each will increase from next September. How does the Minister expect the schools to cope with an increase in pupil numbers when simultaneously, staff numbers are to be reduced? The current crisis in the education system is an issue of national importance and I urge the Minister to reconsider these unnecessary cutbacks in teacher numbers.

Last month, the Fine Gael Party tabled a Private Members' motion to prevent 28 primary schools from losing teachers. I highlighted the plight of St. Kevin's junior national school, Donaghmede, and SS. Peter and Paul's boys' national school, Baldoyle, during the debate and appealed to the Minister for Education and Science to reconsider the preposterous decision to reduce staffing numbers in the aforementioned national schools. Unfortunately, the Minister ignored my plea and I beseech him once again to reinstate these teachers.

The Government has reneged on its promises to cut classroom sizes. In the programme for Government in 2002, it was stated that over the next five years maximum class guidelines would be introduced to ensure that the average class size for children under nine would be below the international best practice guideline of 20 to one. The Government pledged to reduce class sizes to one teacher for every 26 pupils by September 2008. However, these promises lie in shreds as the Minister for Education and Science recently instructed 28 primary schools to cut back a teacher.

St. Kevin's national school in Donaghmede will lose a teacher in the upcoming school year. The school will now consist of four classes, which will mean the amalgamation of the existing classes of junior infants into one class of 35. This class includes six children for whom English is not their first language, one child with special needs and children with mixed abilities. This is certainly an unworkable solution. To have 35 students in one room is outrageous, but to have students that are not fulfilling their own educational needs put in with children with special needs is completely unworkable for the teacher. We should be reducing class sizes rather than increasing them. The school also has a fully equipped classroom available, but this will remain unused because of the latest round of cutbacks. All we need is the reinstatement of one teacher.

The loss of a teacher in St. Peter and Paul's national school in Baldoyle will leave 29 junior infants in one class. This teacher would have facilitated an extra junior infants class, something which occurred before. It would enable the younger children to obtain a proper introduction to school life in a much smaller classroom setting. How can pupils receive a proper education if they are in a classroom of 29? In October 2007, the school predicted a slight decrease in pupil enrolment for the following year. However, this has changed and there will be an increase in students next September.

I ask the Minister of State to re-examine the proposed cutback in the school, which is totally unacceptable. There was a debate earlier today about unemployment. We must educate our young people if we want to ensure there are no greater increases in unemployment. The pupil-teacher ratio in Ireland is higher than the norm and the Government has failed the people by breaking promises made in its programme for Government. I appeal to the Minister and the Minister of State to look again at the proposal to sack 28 school teachers.

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am glad to have the opportunity to outline the Department's commitment to the provision of teaching resources to primary schools and the position on the schools to which the Deputy referred.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued to all primary schools each year. This is a transparent way of ensuring that all schools are treated consistently and fairly and know where they stand. The schedule allocates teachers within enrolment bands and the current bands are based on an average of 27 pupils. Under a system that allocates additional teachers at different step points under a common schedule, it is a fact of life that changes in enrolment can effect the mainstream staffing of a school.

Any year that enrolments fall in a school can result in the loss of a teacher. Equally, when enrolments increase a school can gain a teacher under the operation of the staffing schedule. While around 120 schools will lose a teacher in the next school year compared to this year, there will still be a net increase of around 500 teachers, as five times as many schools are expected to employ an additional teacher due to an increase in enrolments.

Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools, there is provision for additional posts to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year, and these are known as developing school posts. Under such arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment on 30 September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30 September, sanction for the post is withdrawn. It is open to the board of management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeals board, which was established to adjudicate appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application dates for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule. The criteria are also available in circular 0024/2007, which is available on the Department's website.

The programme for Government sets out the overarching policy position on the provision of additional teachers and on reductions in class size over the life of the Government. While the programme indicated a specific timeline for further changes to the staffing schedule in order to reduce class sizes, it simply was not possible to move any further in the current year. Even since the presentation of last December's budget, there have been significant alterations in the external and domestic environment. In that context, any reasonable observer would regard that the Government has already taken measures that will see the allocation of over 2000 additional teachers to primary schools since last summer as a considerable investment.

Data submitted to the Department of Education and Science by the board of management of St. Kevin's junior national school in Donaghmede indicate that the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2006 was 121 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule in circular 0020/2007, which is available on the Department's website, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007-08 school year is a principal and four mainstream class teachers. According to data submitted by the board of management, the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2007 was 113 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule of circular 0010/2008, which is also available on the Department's website and a hard copy of which has been issued to all primary schools, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2008-09 school year will be a principal and three mainstream class teachers.

The board of management of St. Kevin's junior national school lodged an appeal with the primary staffing appeal board. The staffing of the school for the 2008-09 school year was considered by the appeal board on 20 May 2008. The board, having considered the appeal with regard to the criteria outlined in circular 0024/2007, was satisfied that a departure from the staffing schedule is not warranted in this case. The board of management of St. Kevin's junior national school was notified in writing of the decision of the appeal board on 26 May 2008.

Data submitted to the Department by the board of management of St. Peter and Paul's national school in Baldoyle indicate that the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2006 was 233 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007-08 school year is a principal and nine mainstream class teachers. According to data submitted by the board of management, the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2007 was 231 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2008-09 school year will be a principal and eight mainstream class teachers. The board of management of St. Peter and Paul's national school lodged an appeal with the primary staffing appeal board. The appeal was heard at the appeal board meeting on 20 May 2008. The appeal board, having considered the appeal with regard to the criteria outlined in circular 0024/2007, deferred a decision on the appeal application pending receipt of further information. When this process has been completed, the board of management will be notified of the outcome of the appeal.

The Deputy will appreciate that the appeal board operates independently of the Department and the Minister and its decision is final.