Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the threshold for appointing teachers in primary schools by size of enrolment. [9958/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools.

The general rule is that the schedule provides at least one classroom teacher for every 29 pupils in the school. Schools with only one or two teachers have much lower staffing ratios than that — with two teachers for just 12 pupils in some cases and so on — but the general rule is that there is at least one classroom teacher for every 29 children in the school. Next year this is being reduced to 28 children per classroom teacher and in 2007-08 it will be reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher. Officials of my Department have drawn up the revised staffing schedule necessary to achieve this. Schools will be asked to use the extra class teachers provided as a result of the revised schedule to provide for smaller classes in the junior grades.

Primary circular 0023/2006 outlining the revised staffing schedule for the 2006-07 school year is available on my Department's website and hard copies will issue to schools as soon as possible.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if concessions are made in the instance of boys and girls schools amalgamating in respect of teacher appointments within quota or ex-quota appointments as for example in the case of a school (details supplied). [9959/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Where schools are amalgamating there is provision for the allocation of a concessionary mainstream teaching post in cases where the approved number of mainstream teachers serving in the schools at the time the amalgamation takes place exceeds the number warranted by the total enrolment on the basis of the staffing schedule.

The continued allocation of the concessionary post is dependent on the teachers concerned remaining on the staff of the school and the appropriate enrolment figures being maintained.