John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline for the House the position on the allocation of teaching posts to primary schools. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for the allocation of classroom teachers to all primary schools. It operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally, irrespective of location. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level.

Classroom teachers are allocated under the staffing schedule based on the pupil enrolments for the previous 30 September. While mainstream staffing for any school year is based on the previous September's enrolment, there is a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment. The retention of such posts in the current school year is subject to schools having achieved their projected enrolment on 30 September. If the enrolment is not achieved the post allocated on developing grounds is suppressed.

The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeal board. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in the staffing circular 0007/2012 which is available on the Department's website. The appeal criteria include provision for schools that have been granted a post under the developing school criterion. Such schools may lodge an appeal on the basis that the pupils that failed to enrol as projected by 30 September 2012 are likely to be enrolled by December 2012. A post allocated by the appeal board under this criterion will be sanctioned on a provisional basis, subject to confirmation of the required enrolment being achieved before 31 December 2012.

The school referred to by the Deputy had an enrolment of 442 pupils on 30 September 2011. As a consequence, the school's staffing for the 2012-13 school year is a principal and 16 classroom teachers. The school has an additional five support posts for learning and language support and resource teaching.

The school applied for a developing school post based on a projected enrolment of 478 pupils at September 2012 and this post was conditionally approved by the Department on 6 March 2012. However, I understand that the required projected enrolment was not achieved by 30 September. The school was therefore informed that the post was being suppressed in the normal manner. The school has appealed the decision to the primary staffing appeal board. The appeal board is holding its meeting today, 18 October, and it will consider the appeal from the school in question in this process. The board of management of the school will be notified of the outcome of the appeal as soon as possible. The appeal board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final. I thank the Deputy again for giving me an opportunity to update the House on the matter.