Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action she will take in the case of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary which has been notified of a decision to reduce it from a two-teacher to a one-teacher school for the coming year due to the shortage of one pupil in the current year. [17252/06]

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 30th 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 referred to by the Deputy, the enrolment in the school on 30th September 2005 was 11 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 teacher. To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent Appeal Board is now in place to decide on any 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 referred to by the Deputy, has submitted an appeal to the Staffing Appeal Board. The appeal will be considered by the Appeal 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.

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.