Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 418: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if correspondence (details supplied) has been brought to her attention. [13033/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It would appear that the original copy of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy was not received in my office. 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. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy in his correspondence for the school year 2004 to 2005 is a principal and five mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 147 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 to 2006 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 142 pupils. The staffing for the 2005 to 2006 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.

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 Department and its decision is final. Appeals must be submitted to the primary payments section of the Department of Education and Science in Athlone on the standard application form, clearly stating the criterion under which the appeal is being made, after the schedule for the 2005 to 2006 school year has issued.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 419: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will consider reducing the pupil numbers needed for teacher retention in all primary and post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13034/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The enrolment figures required for the appointment and retention of teachers at both primary and post-primary levels have been reduced in recent years. Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio at both levels. At primary level, the ratio has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996 to 1997 school year to 17.44:1 in the 2003 to 2004 school year. At post-primary level the pupil-teacher ratio has been reduced from 16:1 to 13.6:1 in the same period.

In line with Government policy, my Department will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil-teacher ratio within available resources and subject to spending priorities within the education sector. Priority will be given to pupils with special needs, those from disadvantaged areas and those in junior classes.