Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a special allowance will be made in terms of staffing levels for a school (details supplied) in County Carlow which had 144 on the roll on 30 September 2005, has had 146 pupils on the roll since January 2006 and will have over 150 in September 2006; and if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the school currently has a spare classroom and would be able to accommodate an additional teacher if allocated. [11139/06]

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 revised staffing schedule for the 2006-07 school year, circular 0023/2006, has been issued to all primary schools and is also available on my Department's website.

According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school referred to by the Deputy, the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2005 was 144 pupils. On the basis of this figure, the mainstream staffing for the 2006-07 school year will be a principal and four mainstream class teachers.

It is open to the board of management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeal board which was established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application dates for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule circular. They are also available in circular 0024/2006, appeal board for mainstream staffing in primary schools, which is available on my Department's website. Hard copies of this circular will issue to primary schools shortly.

It is proposed that the first meeting of the appeal board will be held in May 2006. Further meetings will be held in July and October 2006. The closing dates for receipt of appeals are 12 May, 24 June and 18 October respectively. Appeals must be submitted to the 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 standard application form is available from the primary payments section or on my Department's website.

The appeal board operates independently of the Minister and my Department and its decision is final. The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the operation of the independent appeal board.