John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if assistance will be given to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6 in dealing with the class size issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29685/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the school's enrolment on 30 September of the previous school year. The number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule and is finalised for a particular year following discussions with the education partners.

The staffing schedule is structured to ensure that all primary schools operate to an average mainstream class size of 29 pupils. If 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 the school's teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes. School authorities should ensure that there is an equitable distribution of pupils in mainstream classes and that the differential between the largest and the smallest classes is kept to a minimum.

I have asked the Department of Education and Science's inspectorate to monitor the deployment of staff and class sizes, to discuss where necessary with the school authorities the basis on which school policy decisions in this regard have been made and to report to the Department, where appropriate. The mainstream staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the current school year is one principal and 12 mainstream class teachers, based on an enrolment of 323 pupils on 30 September 2004. The school also has two learning support and resource teachers.