Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan.

The staffing schedule impacts on individual schools in different ways depending on whether enrolment is rising or declining. In terms of the position at individual school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by the Department is the pupil enrolment at 30 September. The enrolment is applied to a staffing schedule which issues annually from the Department. While the staffing schedule at primary level allocates on the basis of an average number of pupils, each school decides on how to arrange its classes. Combined classes are a feature of the majority of primary schools and this arrangement has no adverse implications for the quality of the education children receive.

From an educational perspective it is important to note that numerous influential reports have highlighted the fact that teacher quality is the single most important factor - far and above anything else - in improving educational outcomes for children.

The Senator will be aware that the renewed programme for Government commits the Government to no further increase in the pupil-teacher ratio in primary and second level schools for the lifetime of the Government. It also provides for 500 teaching posts to be provided between primary and second levels over the next three years over and above additional posts that will arise due to demographic increases. Following consultation with the education partners clear and transparent criteria have been agreed for the allocation of these posts in both sectors.

One hundred of these posts have been allocated to each sector, primary and post-primary in the current school year. At primary level the posts have been allocated to schools that had increased enrolment in the current school year and which, as a result of last year's pupil-teacher ratio change, lost out on a teaching post in this year by either one, two or three pupils.

For the coming school year the additional posts have also enabled some improvement to be made to the staffing schedule at primary level. These improvements are targeted at medium-to-larger schools which are typically under the greatest pressure in class sizes.

The level of teaching resources allocated to individual schools for special needs and language support will be determined following completion of the allocation processes for these posts during the spring and summer period. It is only when all the various allocation processes, including the appeals mechanisms, are fully completed that the final staffing position for individual schools will be fully determined. It is important for all schools to ensure that whatever teaching resources the Government can afford in these unprecedented economic times are used to maximum effect to achieve the best possible outcome for children.

It is open to any board of management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeal board. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule, Circular 0021/2010 and Circular 0015/2009 - Meeting the needs of pupils learning English as an Additional Language. Both circulars are available on the Department's website.

The school referred to by the Senator submitted an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeal Board which was considered by the board at its meeting on 21 June 2010. The board decided that a departure from the staffing schedule was not warranted in this case and the school has been notified in this regard. The appeal board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final. I thank the Senator again for raising this matter.