Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 480: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the additional resources she plans to give to a school (details supplied) in view of the fact that the school is undergoing rapid growth, will double in size next year and hence may receive capitation and ancillary grants for only half its pupils; the additional resources which will be allocated to the school in view of the fact that it has not just Irish children but a large number of children from non-Irish backgrounds and thus requires assistance with cultural, language and home school liaison issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12913/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued to all primary schools each year.

According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school in question, the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2005 was 91 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule, circular 0023/2006, which has issued to all primary schools and is also available on my Department's website at www.education.ie, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2006-07 school year will be a principal and three mainstream class teachers.

Primary schools catering for non-national pupils who have significant English language deficits are entitled to assistance to enable these pupils gain full access to the curriculum. The school has the services of two temporary language support teachers for the current year.

The school in question will be paid enrolment based grants for capitation and ancillary services based on their enrolments in the current school year. The school has been paid €12,649 in respect of the ancillary grant in March 2006 and €8,919.54 in January 2006 in respect of the first moiety, 70%, of the capitation grant. The second moiety, 30%, of the capitation grant will be paid in June.

With regard to the inclusion of schools in the new school support programme, SSP, under the DEIS action plan, separate arrangements are being put in place to address exceptional situations arising up to the time of the next identification process which will be held in 2009-10. These arrangements will take account of new schools, including those created through amalgamation, opening in 2005-06 or thereafter.

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.

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. 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 primary payments section, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, on the standard application form, clearly stating the criterion under which the appeal is being made. The standard application form is available from 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. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the operation of the independent appeal board.