Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 236: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the special circumstances of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11, the staffing allocation will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21740/05]

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

The school referred to by the Deputy is included in the disadvantaged areas scheme, DAS, and the Giving Children an Even Break programme, GCEB. Under the scheme, the school benefits from additional capitation grants of €38.09 per capita, a refund of the television licence fee and eligibility for 95% building grants for building projects. Designated disadvantaged schools are included in the home school community liaison scheme and the school has access to the services of a shared home school community liaison co-ordinator.

Under the urban dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, the school is benefiting from supplementary funding to provide additional educational supports for pupils who are considered to be at risk of educational disadvantage and early school leaving. The level of funding provided under this scheme is commensurate with the number of "at risk" pupils in the school. The school is not considered eligible for additional teaching staff under this scheme based on the level of concentration of at risk pupils within its enrolment.

As the Deputy will be aware, a new general allocation scheme has been announced under which schools will be provided with resource teaching hours based on their enrolment figures to cater for children with high incidence special needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. 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 original allocation to the school was one post and 15 part-time hours. However, on consideration of the contents of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy, the general allocation has been increased to two teaching posts. This decision has been communicated to the school authorities. In addition, the school in question may be able to form an additional teaching post based on low incidence hours in the school. My officials are liaising with the school principal regarding the matter. I can confirm that the school's resource teaching allocation under the new scheme is based on its status as a mixed school, for instance, the first post is allocated at 145:1. Schools whose allocations are based on 80:1 are those disadvantaged schools that are specifically eligible for additional staffing under the urban dimension of the Giving Children an Even Break scheme. This school is not eligible for such additional staffing and so does not qualify for the special 80:1 ratio for resource teacher allocation.