Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 687: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will review the suppression of three permanent teaching posts at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19091/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, my Department has issued a letter to all primary schools notifying them of their teaching allocation under the new general allocation model for the 2005-06 school year. The letter also includes details of any clustering arrangements that may apply. My Department is also finalising a circular for schools which will contain detailed information on how the new system will operate. It is intended that this circular will issue before the end of the current school year.

The introduction of this new system will involve the provision of an estimated additional 340 permanent posts in primary schools from September next. A further 320 posts are being provided on a temporary basis to facilitate the transition to the new system and to ensure continuity of service for children who have previously been given an individual allocation until those children leave the primary school system.

The staffing of the school in question is a principal, three mainstream class teachers, one learning support teacher and two resource teachers. The school's entitlement under the general allocation system is 17.5 hours. In addition, the school also has an allocation of ten hours under the transitional hours arrangements. The transitional arrangements involve an interim allocation to certain schools to address the position of pupils with high incidence special education needs who had been granted individual resource allocations by my Department under previous staffing allocation systems and who are in schools that would be due to have their staffing allocation in respect of high incidence children reduced if the new system were implemented without alteration.

I can confirm to the Deputy that the school has submitted a proposal regarding a revision of the clustering arrangements that had been notified to them. I am pleased to say that my Department has been able to revise the clustering arrangements to ensure the retention of an existing special education post within this school. The school authorities are aware of this revision. The remaining two special education teachers have been placed on the diocesan panel.