Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Táimid ag leanúint leis an téama céanna a bhí againn an tseachtain seo caite agus tá mé thar a bheith buíoch don Aire Stáit as ucht teacht isteach.

Táimid fós ag caint faoi na scoileanna beaga tuaithe agus an próiseas achomhairc a bhí ann mar gheall gur athraíodh na huimhreacha sa cháinfhaisnéis. Tá roinnt scoileanna tar éis iarraidh orm an cheist seo a chur maidir leis an gcoiste achomhairc a bhí i bhfeidhm. Tuigim gur coiste neamhspleách a bhí i gceist ón fhreagra a thug an tAire Stáit féin dom an tseachtain seo caite. Chuir mé ceist faoin iarratas ar an achomharc a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge. Theastaíonn ó roinnt scoileanna fáil amach cé atá ar an gcoiste agus an bhfuil Gaeilge acu chun na hachomhairc a cuireadh isteach a léamh agus a thuiscint nó an é gur aistríodh go Béarla iad? Ní raibh sin soiléir.

Bhí míshástacht i measc cuid de na scoileanna a chuir isteach litreacha i nGaeilge mar fuair siad freagraí i mBéarla ón Roinn. Níl sin sásúil d'aon duine. Sá chás áirithe a chonaic mé féin, bhí cuid den iarratas i mBéarla chomh maith so b'fhéidir gurb é sin an fáth, gur úsáid siad an leithscéal sin.

I ask the Minister of State to make a statement on the committee which has undertaken the review process which is independent of the Department and its capacity to do its work through the medium of Irish and whether the review documents submitted by the schools in question were translated in order that those sitting on the board could understand their contents.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Tá mé ag tógáil an ghnó seo thar ceann mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna.

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to talk about the staffing appeals process for primary schools. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on 30 September. The staffing arrangements in schools for the 2012-13 school year can also be affected by changes in enrolment, the impact of budget measures and the reforms to the teacher allocation process. The reform of the allocation process is designed to bring about a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools; therefore, there will inevitably be some schools that will lose posts and some that will gain posts.

The staffing schedule for the 2012-13 school year was published on the Department's website and includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeals board. Details of the criteria for appeals are contained in Department Staffing Circular 0007/2012.

As part of the new staffing arrangements, the Department has expanded the existing appeals process in order that it is accessible to the small primary schools that are losing a classroom post as a result of the budget measure and enable some limited phasing arrangements for schools where the combination of budget and reform measures impact in a particularly adverse manner on a school's overall allocation. All appeals submitted to the primary staffing appeals board, including those in Irish, were considered in accordance with the published appeals criteria. This was done at its meeting on 18 and 19 April. Two members of the appeals board are former school principals, while one member is a former inspector. Each of these three members has competency in Irish on the basis of his or her qualifications and experience in primary schools. In advance of appeals board meetings, the Department also arranges for appeals forms submitted in Irish to be translated into English. The board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

A total of 367 schools submitted appeals to the appeals board and 205 schools had their appeals upheld. A summary outcome of the appeals has been published on the Department's website and individual schools have been notified of the outcome of their appeals.

The next meeting of staffing appeals board is due to be held on 14 June. The latest date for other schools to submit appeals is 1 June. The final staffing position for all schools will ultimately not be known until the autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and all appeals to the staffing appeals board will have been considered.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Is mór an faoiseamh é a chloisteáil go bhfuil triúr de na daoine a bhí ar an gcoiste líofa sa Ghaeilge. An féidir leis an Aire Stáit tuairim a thabhairt maidir le líon na n-iarratas a bhí trí Ghaeilge agus cé mhéad acu a aistríodh? Is there any indication how many of the 367 school submitted appeals as Gaeilge and how many had to be translated?

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I do not have the figure to hand but if the Senator wishes to e-mail me, I will endeavour to discover the information.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Go raibh maith agat.