Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding a school (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [33840/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its time-table and subject options having regard to pupils' needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation.

The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department will consider applications for additional short term support i.e. curricular concessions.

An application for curricular concessions was received and the school in question was allocated 0.45 wholetime equivalent teacher post. An independent appeals mechanism is available to school authorities who wish to appeal the adequacy of their teacher allocation. This school availed of this appeals mechanism and were allocated a further 0.55 wholetime equivalent teacher post. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final.

As the Appeals Committee operates independently of my Department in taking its decisions, you will appreciate that it would not be appropriate to intervene in any such decision.