Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 784: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she expects to increase teaching staff numbers at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26474/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment in the school on 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule is outlined in Primary Circular 23/06 which issued to all primary schools recently.

Under the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for the allocation of an additional post where a school experiences rapid growth in its enrolment. In such cases, an additional post, referred to as a developing school post, may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30th September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

In the current school year the mainstream staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy, comprises of a Principal and 9 mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 243 pupils at 30th September, 2004.

The mainstream staffing of the school for the 2006/2007 school year will remain at a Principal and 9 mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 248 pupils at 30th September, 2005.

To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent Appeal Board is now in place to decide on any appeals on mainstream staffing. The criteria under which an appeal can be made are set out in Department Primary Circular 0024/06 which is also available on my Department's website.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 785: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to provide the necessary teaching staff at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26475/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment in the school on 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule is outlined in Primary Circular 23/06 which issued to all primary schools recently.

Under the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for the allocation of an additional post where a school experiences rapid growth in its enrolment. In such cases, an additional post, referred to as a developing school post, may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30th September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

The mainstream staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the current school year is a Principal and five mainstream class teaching posts. This is based on an enrolment of 148 pupils at 30th September 2004. The school was granted two extra mainstream class teachers by Primary Payments Section of my Department for the 2005/2006 school year under developing school criteria on the basis of a projected enrolment of 187 pupils on 30th September 2005.

The mainstream staffing of the school for the 2006/2007 school year will remain at a Principal and seven mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 187 pupils at 30th September,2005.

To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent Appeal Board is now in place to decide on any appeals on mainstream staffing. The criteria under which an appeal can be made are set out in Department Primary Circular 0024/06 which is also available on my Department's website.