Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The enrolment figures for every post-primary school in the country are published each year in the Department's list of post-primary schools. The enrolment figures for the school in question are

A building project for the school which is at an early stage of architectural planning was initially planned for a long-term projected enrolment of 400 pupils based on demographic information available at the time. In the event, the population did not increase as expected and enrolment in the school continued to decline as it has done for more than ten years. For example, in the 2004-05 school year, 187 mainstream students and 65 further education students were attending the school. This compares with 315 mainstream students and 48 further education students in 1995. In the past five years overall enrolment declined by some 22% alone. This was rightly a matter of concern to the Department of Education and Science given the level of investment it was being required to make. Accordingly, due to a continuing decline in enrolments and the level of investment which would be required to facilitate a relatively small number of pupils, it was decided not to allow the proposed project to progress through architectural planning until a complete review of the long-term viability of the school had been carried out.

It is common practice for the Department of Education and Science to review all projects before they are included in a capital programme. I expect the review being carried out on the particular project in question to be finalised shortly and contact will be made directly with the school authority on this matter at that time.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by the Department of Education and Science in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its timetable and subject options having regard to pupils needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation.

The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments, the Department of Education and Science will consider applications for additional short-term support, that is, curricular concessions. An independent appeals mechanism is available to school authorities which wish to appeal the adequacy of their teacher allocation.

The school in question applied for a curricular concession allocation and was allocated one whole-time equivalent teaching post. The Department of Education and Science notified the school of this allocation on 14 April 2005 and advised that, in the event of its not being satisfied with this allocation, it could appeal in writing to the independent appeals committee. The school did not avail of the appeals mechanism.