Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne.

John O'Mahony (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Chair for selecting this Commencement matter. I have been contacted by the parents of the children who attend Shraheen national school in Knockmore, County Mayo, and by Councillor Neil Cruise about the school's pupil numbers and teacher allocations. The school has two teachers at present. Just 14 pupils were enrolled in the school at the start of the school year in September. In accordance with Department of Education and Skills criteria, an extra pupil needed to be enrolled in the school by the 30 September deadline so that it could retain its second teacher. My understanding is that a 15th pupil was in attendance at the school last Friday, 28 September. I understand that up to 11 children from families that are already in the parish and the catchment area will be enrolling in the school in the next couple of years. This does not take account of any extra pupils who might come to the school from outside the area in that time.

I will explain the dilemma that is being faced by everybody in the area. If the school can stay open for this year, it is projected that its numbers will increase thereafter. As the number of pupils in fifth and sixth class is small, just two pupils will leave in the next two or three years. It is projected that something like 11 pupils will come into the school during that time. I understand that the deadline which was given was not relayed to the parents until after the school opened for the new term in September. This meant that the timeframe for getting an extra pupil enrolled was very tight. I presume the returns from Shraheen national school are not in yet. I am raising this matter because schools in local parishes and local areas are obviously very important for the people of those communities. It is important for the high standard of teaching in this school to continue.I thank the Minister of State for being here to deal with this matter and I accept that the Minister for Education and Skills is not available.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I apologise on behalf of Minister who cannot be here and thank the Senator for raising this matter, as it gives me the opportunity to outline the position regarding staffing in primary schools generally and in Shraheen national school, Foxford, County Mayo, in particular.

The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts are published annually on the Department of Education and Skills website. The key factors for determining the staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements for the 2018-19 school year are set out in circular 0010/2018 which is available on the Department's website. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.

Budget 2018 provided for a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule, which reduced the general average pupil-teacher ratio, PTR, to 26:1. The improved staffing schedule has been implemented for the 2018-19 school year. This measure brings the teacher allocation ratio in all primary schools to the most favourable ever seen at primary level. While budget 2012 increased the appointment and retention ratios for small schools, that is, schools with up to four-classroom teachers, improvements to the staffing of these schools have been made in the past number of years. Improved retention thresholds for the second, third and fourth classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for two teacher schools situated 8 km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and, or language of instruction were introduced for the 2015-16 school year.

Budget 2016 announced a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule with this improvement implemented in the 2016-17 school year. Budget 2017 announced two adjustments for one teacher schools. Where the school is the sole primary school on an island the school will be able to appoint a second teacher. Regarding single teacher schools generally, those with an enrolment of 15 or more pupils the school can apply to the staffing appeal board for a second post where the single teacher has children across six or more class groups. The staffing arrangements also include an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeals board.

Shraheen national school is currently a two-teacher school. The enrolment required to retain a second teacher is 17 pupils. On 30 September 2017, the school had an enrolment of 15 pupils and was due to have its teaching staff reduced to one in this current September. The school submitted an appeal to the March meeting of the primary staffing appeals board. In its appeal, the school projected an enrolment of 16 pupils across six class groupings and the school was successful in its appeal. The school was advised that the retention of the second teacher was dependent on the school achieving an enrolment of at least 15 pupils across six class groupings on 30 September 2018. The primary staffing appeals board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final.

The current enrolment in the school for the 2018-19 school year has been confirmed as 14. As the school has not achieved the required enrolment, the second teaching post will be suppressed with effect from Friday, 26 October and the most junior teacher in the school will be redeployed. I thank the Senator again for the opportunity to outline this process to the House. I have taken some notes on what he said regarding the fact that since last Friday,15 pupils have been enrolled in the school. I will bring that to the attention of the Minister. However, as outlined in the reply, the situation may well be out of his hands. That said, I will bring it to his attention.

John O'Mahony (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for State for the reply. I accept the criteria as outlined but my information is slightly different from that outlined. The information will be confirmed one way or the other. The parents who contacted me were disappointed that they had not been made aware of the position earlier because there would have been no problem getting up to 15 enrolments. Efforts were made and there were 15 pupils in attendance last Friday. I am not sure of the exact details but the numbers will have to be confirmed one way or the other.

If the school's staffing allocation is reduced to one teacher, does that mean that the school will have to close? Given that enrolments are projected to increase, with 11 children from families with pupils in the school due to start in the next two years, the issue is bridging the gap between enrolments at the start of this September and future enrolments in the coming years. A public meeting on this issue is being held on Friday next. I hope the matter can be resolved because Shraheen national school is the heartbeat of the community.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I assure the Senator that I will bring his questions back to the Minister. In the context of the aforementioned public meeting, I understand his need for an urgent reply. I will ask the Minister to reply to him directly.