Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 723: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will ensure that both previous school population statistics and future demand for school places will be taken into account when allocating resources and staff to schools; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that depending solely on statistics from previous years to assess the need for extra staff and resources frustrates the efforts of schools to cater for the needs of growing populations; her plans to look into this system of needs assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28760/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with guidelines agreed between my Department and the education partners. The staffing schedule is outlined in a circular which is issued annually to all primary schools.

Within the terms of the current staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. Under these arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30 September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30 September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent appeals board is now in place to decide on any appeals with regard to staffing. The criteria under which an appeal can be made are set out in primary circular 19/02 which is available on my Department's website.