Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will retain an administrative principal for a school (details supplied) in County Cork. [23058/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Circular 23/06, outlining the terms with regard to the appointment of Administrative Principals for the school year 2006/07, was issued by my Department recently.

In order to qualify for the allocation of an Administrative Post, a primary school is required to have a minimum staff of Principal and 7 mainstream class teachers or, where there are less that 7 mainstream teachers in the school, to have a minimum staff of Principal and 9 teachers in total.

In the current school year, the school referred to by the Deputy had a staff of Principal and 9 teachers in total and therefore qualified for the allocation of an Administrative Principal post. The teacher allocation for the school for the 2006/07 school year is Principal and 8 teachers in total, including 5 mainstream class teachers. As the school does not satisfy either of the conditions necessary, it does not qualify for the allocation of an Administrative Principal post for 2006/07.

The Board of Management may allow the teaching Principal to be released for a number of days during the school year to undertake administrative, leadership and management functions as specified in Primary Circular 14/01 and 25/02.