Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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9. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will replace three lost posts in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15, due to the difficulties in the provision of education in this disadvantaged area; the loss of posts include an assistant principal post and other vital duties such as organising of a care team for students, library, discipline, social, bereavement, IT and a range of subject coordination. [37872/14]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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My question asks the Minister whether she will replace three lost posts in a school in Dublin 15 located in an extremely disadvantaged area. It relates to St. Philips senior national school. It is a carbon copy of every other school in the country which have lost serious posts of responsibility. In this case it includes the loss of an assistant principal post, the organisation of a care team for students, library, discipline and a whole range of vital posts without which the school cannot function.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The staffing in the school referred to by the Deputy has reduced from 22 teachers to 20 teachers. This was due to a reduction in the overall enrolments in the school and a reduction in the number of eligible pupils in the school for English language support. A teacher in the school who had an assistant principal allowance retired. While this teacher was replaced for the purposes of teaching duties, the school did not qualify under the Department's alleviation arrangements to have an assistant principal allowance assigned to another teacher. These alleviation arrangements at primary level are limited and are targeted at schools that have lost at least three assistant principal posts. It is important to recognise that this school as a DEIS band 1 school continues to receive enhanced staffing and grants from my Department. In the current school year the ratio of pupils to teachers is about 15:1 in DEIS band 1 schools.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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The last Government began the gutting of education, but now it looks like this Government seems to be continuing it. Class sizes have increased and there are fewer teachers, but the loss of posts of responsibility is under-reported and has a serious impact. Schools are about more than just chalk-and-talk. They cannot function unless there are teachers assigned to carry out events, pastoral care, organise IT, young scientists, the library and social and bereavement follow up. This case involves the loss of a teacher to organise a care team, something which is vital for students in a disadvantaged working class area. I ask the Minister to breach the moratorium in place for vital posts in this case and stop the continuous gutting of education. The Government keeps telling us we are in recovery. Why is the Minister continuing to make schools and children suffer as a result of the loss of serious posts of responsibility?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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We are not gutting education. In fact, we have managed, despite the growing demographics, to maintain pupil-teacher ratios. I have discussed the general issue of the loss of these posts with a number of education partners. It is a concern which we want to address. I appreciate that the school to which the Deputy refers is in a very disadvantaged area and is DEIS band 1, but it has a principal and deputy principal post. It also has one assistant principal post and six special duty posts in the current school year. Due to the retirement of a teacher in the school, the number of assistant principal posts reduced from two in 2013 to one in 2014. I acknowledge it has lost one post. It has a number of other similar posts.

I am aware of the difficulties within which DEIS band 1 schools operate. There is a system which allows posts to be retained in certain situations. Unfortunately this school does not fit into that category. It has an extra post which DEIS band 1 schools retain. The various partners in education I have met in recent months have made me aware of the fact there are issues around management and middle management posts in primary and post primary schools, and I want to address that as soon as I can.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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My information is that the school has a deputy principal, an assistant principal and four, rather than six, posts. Perhaps the Minister could check the details with her officials. People would have expected a lot more from a Labour Party Minister for Education and Skills, in particular when the economy is supposed to be improving. It would be expected to restore the lost posts in schools, something which is having a detrimental impact on education. Is it now a conscious policy to have work on the cheap in schools? As was referred to earlier, building workers and bricklayers are on strike at Kishogue Community College in Lucan. They object to the rates of pay and the practice of the black economy------

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, stick to the question.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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It is very relevant. It is a serious loss of revenue to the State. It has been ongoing for about two years-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, Deputy.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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-----and the Labour Party Minister is standing over it. Is there a conscious policy of a race to the bottom which is encouraged by the Government? Would it not get revenue in by charging big developers and building owners like Rhatigan the proper-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, do not start naming people here in the Chamber.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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They should be checked to make sure they pay their taxes. Maybe then we would have enough money for education.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, resume your seat. You are over time. You know perfectly well that you do not name people in the Chamber.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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It is very relevant to the point I am trying to make.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is very relevant to the Standing Orders of this House.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I absolutely reject what the Deputy just said about Labour Party policy. She knows we restored the minimum wage as soon as we got into government. She knows we are working on the REA legislation and we believe in decent wages for work. That is Labour Party policy. We have also had to live in a very real and difficult world for the past few years. The Deputy is lucky as she does not have to worry about things like that because she can be against everything. We had to make responsible decisions in government which were extremely difficult. In the area of education my predecessor worked really hard and managed to protect the core elements of the education budget. I do not take any criticism from the Deputy in that regard. I have already said I will meet the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, today with regard to REAs. I will not comment on individual cases.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Will the Minister ask how this employer can undercut every other developer?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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We will address the issues as quickly as we can.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Bricklayers are working for €10.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I am not standing over anything the Deputy is alleging.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Through the Chair please, Deputy Coppinger. You do not shout across the Chamber; you speak thorough the Chair.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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On schools in deprived areas, principal Liam Turner, of St. John of God school in The Faythe, Wexford-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Do not go into individual cases.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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-----contacted me about the fact that in the censuses of 2006 and 2011 The Faythe was the most deprived area in Wexford. He points out there has been no review of the DEIS scheme for nine years. In fact, things have fallen behind because there has not been a review of the DEIS system.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should table a question about it.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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A review is necessary as soon as possible.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, you have tabled a question and I am anxious that when Deputies come into the Chamber that we try to reach the question. If you go over time on other questions we will never get to yours. That is why I cut you off. I am not trying to be rude or unco-operative.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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We are undertaking a DEIS review. It has not been reviewed since 2006. The evidence would suggest DEIS is working well in terms of the outcomes for children in those schools.

However, certain schools are in while others are not. It is time for a review, given that DEIS has been in place since 2006. We will carry out that review during the next year.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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As Deputy Bannon is not present, Question No. 10 cannot be taken.