Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 888: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the special circumstances of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 14 in view of the large number of persons in that school who have English as a second language; the recorded pupil-teacher ratio in that school; if the school's request for an additional teacher will be considered; if so, the stage the request is at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10384/05]

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 their 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 ten mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 272 pupils on 30 September 2003. The school also has a learning support post and a resource post, hence the pupil-teacher ratio in the school is 20.92:1. 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 271 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. Schools catering for non-national pupils who have significant English language deficits are entitled to assistance to enable these pupils gain full access to the curriculum. The school referred to by the Deputy has one permanent post and two temporary posts to cater for such pupils.