Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 803: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when extra teaching staff will be allocated to a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20074/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes. The only deviation from the agreed staffing arrangements is in the case of schools classified as "developing schools". The conditions for obtaining a post as a developing school are outlined in Primary Circular 15/05, a copy of which issued to the board of management of each school.

In the current school year, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy comprises of a principal and nine mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 244 pupils at 30 September 2003. In addition, the school has one learning support teacher, one special class teacher, one resource teacher and one shared temporary language support teacher. In accordance with the staffing schedule which issued recently to boards of management, the mainstream staffing of the school for the 2005-06 school year will remain at a principal and nine mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 243 pupils at 30 September, 2004.

To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent appeals board is in place to decide on any appeals. The criteria under which an appeal can be made are set out in Department Primary Circular 19/02 which is also available on my Department's website. The appeals board will meet in July to consider appeals on the mainstream teaching allocation to schools for the 2005-06 school year. The closing date for appeals is 24 June 2005. 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. The application form is available from the primary payments section or on my Department's website.

The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the operation of the independent appeals board.