Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the extremely high pupil teacher ratios that feature in a school (details supplied) in County Kildare she will sanction and provide funding for the employment of an additional teacher in order to ensure the standard of teaching does not suffer as a result of overcrowding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15729/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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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 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 referred to by the Deputy, the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2005 was 232 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 eight mainstream class teachers. To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent appeal board is in place to decide on appeals. The criteria under which an appeal can be made are set out in Department primary circular 24/06. The board of management of the school in question has submitted an appeal to the staffing appeal board. The appeal will be considered by the board at a meeting which is scheduled to take place in May. The board of management will be notified of the outcome of the appeal as soon as possible thereafter. 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 to intervene in the operation of the independent appeal board.