Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1077: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will reduce the class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if she will give the school the maximum support in 2005-2006. [24316/05]

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.

The mainstream staffing for the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2005-06 is a principal and 14 mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 384 pupils on 30 September 2004. To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent appeal board is now in place to decide on any appeals for mainstream staffing. 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 appeal board will meet in October to consider appeals on the mainstream teaching allocation to schools for the 2005-06 school year. The closing date for appeal is 7 October 2005. Appeals must be submitted to 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. The application form is available from primary payments section of the Department of Education and Science in Athlone 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 appeal board. The Deputy will be aware that a new general allocation model for the allocation of teaching resources to schools to cater for the needs of children with high-incidence special needs and learning support needs has been introduced. This school's teaching allocation under the new general allocation model is two full time permanent posts.

Following consideration of a proposal submitted by the school to create additional posts using part-time general allocation hours and low incidence hours, my Department has sanctioned an additional two temporary resource teaching posts, one of these posts to be shared with another local school. It is a matter for each school to determine the pupils with high incidence special education and learning support needs who will receive this support.