Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and for facilitating the debate, because it was deferred last week. I also thank the Minister for attending. This is a serious issue relating to pupil-teacher ratios, PTRs, in two schools. The first is Donaghpatrick national school in Caherlistrane, north Galway. When the school forwarded its enrolment numbers to the Department a number of months ago, it had the correct number to secure an additional developmental teaching post. However, through no fault of the school, a family had to leave the area for economic reasons, reducing the number of pupils by three. Unfortunately, that has left the school in a terrible predicament whereby it will lose the developmental post at the end of October. The concern for the school is that this will result in a class of 42 students in junior and senior infants, which is unacceptable. This is also causing a great deal of concern for parents. To add insult to injury, the post will be given back to the school next year and, therefore, for the sake of four or five months, 42 students will be put together in one classroom. It is unacceptable and I would like the Department to demonstrate some flexibility in retaining the teacher and taking the pressure off the teachers and pupils.

The second school is Cappataggle national school near Ballinasloe, County Galway. This relates to the changes in the PTR for two-, three- and four-teacher schools in rural areas. If the school enrolment remains as it is, the school will lose a teacher next September. This is unbelievable, because the State pumped a great deal of money into the school a number of years ago. If the post is lost, the two classrooms that the money was invested in will no longer have a teacher or students. I acknowledge that budgetary measures have been implemented, but could the PTR for 2013 be used? This would give the school an opportunity to retain its allocation.

We need a review of how teachers are allocated. It makes no sense to remove a teacher from Donaghpatrick national school when the post will be given back to the school next September.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and I thank the Minister for being present to reply to the debate. I regret that she has declined my numerous requests since August to meet to discuss this matter, but I have an opportunity now. Since the measures were announced in budget 2012, I have worked hard to have some reversed and to have their impact eased, with some success, through, for example, the introduction of the appeals process. However, the impact on schools has been profound and it has led to huge difficulties. In particular, geographically isolated schools, which will never have the option of amalgamation and are far away from the nearest other schools, have been hit hard. The Department's message at the time the changes were introduced was that the entire process would encourage amalgamation.

For a small number of schools, mainly on the western seaboard, amalgamation will never be an option. Lauragh national school, on the Beara Peninsula in my constituency, is located on a stretch of 26 km where there are no other primary schools. It has lost its second teacher because it has 17 pupils, which falls below the threshold of 20.

It would be easy for the Department to allow a geographically isolated school to appeal its staffing allocation on the grounds that it is isolated. The Department's appeals board could then consider each appeal on its merits. Unfortunately, the Department is not showing any flexibility in this matter. I have been informed that the issue cannot be discussed until the value for money report has been published, which is an unacceptable position. Children living in geographically isolated communities are not any less important than children living in urban environments. This matter could be addressed with the stroke of a pen. I ask the Minister to act. The appeals process was introduced without any great difficulty and this issue could also be rectified. Unfortunately, it has not been addressed and children are suffering as a result.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I thank Deputies Paul Connaughton and Brendan Griffin for raising this important issue. I apologise that I was not able to attend the House to discuss this issue last week. The Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, and I were both appearing before the Select Committee on Education and Skills to discuss the Estimates. I note, however, that Deputy Brendan Griffin spoke about this issue earlier in the summer when he explained to me the position on small schools in his locality.

The staffing arrangements for primary schools include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional classroom posts on developing grounds. These are not the types of school the Deputies have highlighted. In addition, a staffing appeals process is available to schools, including a new criterion for the 2014-15 school year which is aimed at schools that make a significant contribution to absorbing demographic growth.

The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities and they will continue to be a feature of the education landscape. The staffing schedule at primary level disproportionately benefits small primary schools. It is worth noting that more than two thirds of the 3,200 primary schools have more than 86 pupils and, therefore, a much higher average class size than all of the schools affected by this measure. For example, a two teacher school with 32 pupils has an average class size of one teacher for 16 pupils. In contrast, a typical ten teacher school with 272 pupils has an average class size of 27.2 pupils. Nevertheless, I accept Deputy Paul Connaughton's point that teachers in smaller schools must teach a number of different classes.

Notwithstanding the phased increases implemented in the period between 2012 and 2014, the threshold for small schools will still be significantly lower than the minimum of 28 pupils that was required for the appointment of a second teacher in schools prior to the mid-1990s. An appeals process is available to small schools affected by this budget change. A school with four classroom teachers or fewer which is losing a teacher or failed to gain an additional teacher as a result of the budget 2012 measures can submit an appeal to the primary staffing appeals board. Details on the appeals process are widely available.

I acknowledge that specific issues arise in respect of populations that are geographically spread out, including those to which the Deputies referred. How best to sustain provision for widely dispersed and small communities presents a particular challenge, especially in localities where school enrolment is declining to single figures and amalgamation is not an option because there are no other schools in the locality.

The value for money examination of small schools was referred to on the Order of Business. The document specifically addresses the issue of the location of small schools relative to other schools of a similar type. I intend to publish the report as soon as I have discussed it with my Government colleagues. The report is under active consideration. I am aware that the issue the Deputies raise presents a significant problem in areas where the population is widely dispersed. The Government will consider the matter.

Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Teachers and parents of students at Donaghpatrick national school are watching these proceedings and will have noted that the Minister did not refer to the school. I accept that she is new to her brief and wish her luck in it. On the specific case I raised, the removal of a developmental post at the end of October will create a class of 42 students and the post will be reinstated next September. This does not make sense. We hear of improvements in the budgetary position. The problem in this case is a lack of flexibility. Someone must engage with the school and understand the concerns of parents. The developmental post should be retained for the rest of the year and established on a permanent basis thereafter.

On Cappataggle national school, I ask the Minister to freeze the pupil-teacher ratio at its 2013 level to allow the school to retain a teacher. It would be pointless to turn this discussion into an urban versus rural debate. The Department is under pressure and we must try to relieve the pressure on schools by maintaining the pupil-teacher ratio, which has been increased, at its current level.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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On Deputy Paul Connaughton's final point which he made very well, perhaps the changes made in budget 2012 might have merit if urban schools were deriving significant benefits from them. That is not the case, however. In 2012-13 the Department saved €2.6 million before tax from the new measures related to smaller schools. The figure will decline to €2.2 million in 2014-15. At best, the measures saved €1.5 million after tax, which is a pittance in the context of the departmental budget. They are, however, having a profound impact on small, rural communities and not benefiting larger schools. This issue needs to be cleared up immediately.

I have been hearing about the value for money report on small schools for the past three years. One of the first questions I tabled on my election to the Dáil was to ask when the report would be published. Rural communities must be given an opportunity to scrutinise and dissect the report and contest its findings. The Department is hiding behind it and taking what could almost be described as a threatening approach to those who raise issues about small schools by stating it will publish the report. Given that the report will probably be leaked a few weeks before the election, it would be better to publish it now and have an honest debate on it. It is unacceptable that it has been held back for the past three years, during which communities with small schools have suffered. In one school in south County Kerry only one teacher is available for 17 children across eight streams. Amalgamation is not an option for that school and a handful of other geographically isolated schools. With political will, this matter could be addressed overnight. I ask the Minister again to do so.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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This is not an urban versus rural debate. I am aware of a school in an urban area that is in precisely the same position as Donaghpatrick national school in County Galway. For demographic reasons, it, too, will lose and subsequently have reinstated a development post. The issue in such cases is that demographics in the locality are changing from one year to the next.

In asking me to freeze the pupil-teacher ratio Deputy Paul Connaughton is asking me to pre-empt a budgetary decision. As he is aware, as a Government Minister, I am unable to do this. A budget will be announced in two weeks.

I will be pleased to publish the value for money report once I have discussed it with my Government colleagues. I agree with Deputy Brendan Griffin that a public debate is needed on the issue. The report has been completed, but the Government has not yet agreed to publish it. I must, first, have a discussion with my colleagues before I can publish it. I acknowledge, however, that a specific issue arises in isolated geographical areas where amalgamation is not an option because the distances between schools are too large and the number of children is too small. We will address the issue.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Will isolated schools that are suffering be allowed to submit appeals?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, an appeals system is available to schools.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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The deadline for appeals has passed.

Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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We must proceed to the next issue.