Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 855: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will review the staffing levels and class supports available for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal in view of the sizes of class and the efforts being made to push out the boundaries of the educational experience given to both the pupils and the pre-school students; and if she will make a statement on the possibilities of the provision of an early start teacher in this location. [10217/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of greater than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use the teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes.

In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and seven mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 191 pupils at 30 September 2003. In addition, the school has the services of a learning support teacher and a resource teacher. My Department will finalise the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year shortly and thereafter notify school boards of management.

According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management, the enrolment on 30 September 2004 in the school was 184 pupils. The staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.

The provision of extra supports for children in disadvantaged areas has been considered by my Department as part of a review of all the schemes at pre-school, primary and post-primary level, including Early Start. As a result of this review, a new action plan for tackling disadvantage will be published shortly which will provide extra supports for the most disadvantaged schools.

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 856: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department will appoint an extra full-time classroom teacher to a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10224/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of greater than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use the teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes.

In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and eight mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 224 pupils at 30 September 2003. In addition, the school has the services of a learning support teacher and a resource teacher. My Department will finalise the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year shortly and thereafter notify school boards of management.

According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school, the enrolment on 30 September 2004 was 235 pupils. The staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 857: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) in County Galway is in danger of losing a teacher; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that if this happens it will result in a pupil teacher ratio of 27:3 and a minimum of three class groupings for at least two teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10225/05]

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 876: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if staffing levels at a school (details supplied) in County Galway will be maintained for the academic year 2005/06. [10298/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 857 and 876 together.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on the 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and three mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 95 pupils at 30 September 2003. In addition, the school has the services of a learning support teacher, a resource teacher and a resource teacher for Travellers. My Department will finalise the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year shortly and thereafter notify school boards of management.

According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school, the enrolment on 30 September 2004 was 93 pupils. The staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 858: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a school (details supplied) in County Galway is set to lose one of its four teachers in September 2005 given that this school is in a disadvantaged area and operates the Giving Children an Even Break scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10226/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. My Department will finalise the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year shortly and thereafter notify school boards of management.

As outlined in primary circular 19/02, an independent appeals board was established to adjudicate on appeals from boards of management on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. The appeals board operates independently of the Minister and my Department and its decision is final. Appeals must be submitted to primary payments section, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, on the standard application form, clearly stating the criterion under which the appeal is being made, after the schedule for the 2005-06 school year has issued.

Under the rural dimension of my Department's Giving Children an Even Break programme, aimed at combating educational disadvantage, the school to which the Deputy refers has the services of a rural co-ordinator and additional financial resources to provide educational supports to be targeted at disadvantaged pupils.