Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 518: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will ensure that a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary retains its existing quota of teachers for the 2007/2008 academic year. [6457/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule for the 2006/07 school year is outlined in Primary Circular 0023/2006 which was issued to all primary schools.

In the current school year (2006/07) the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy comprises a Principal and three mainstream class teaching posts, based on an enrolment of 85 pupils at 30th September, 2005 as submitted by the Board of Management of the school. The school also has the services of 2 Learning Support/Resource teacher posts.

In addition, under the DEIS programme, the school has access to a teacher/co-ordinator, serving a cluster of schools, whose functions include the development of home, school and community linkages, literacy and numeracy measures and planning supports. The school will continue to retain this service for the duration of the DEIS Action Plan. My Department is planning to evaluate the efficacy of this service and the long-term arrangements to be adopted in the area will be the subject of a review, aimed at determining whether the particular model of support involved is the most appropriate in this context.

The Board of Management has submitted a report indicating that there were 73 pupils enrolled in the school on the 30th September 2006. The mainstream staffing of the school for the 2007/08 school year will be determined on that figure and in accordance with the staffing schedule for the 2007/2008 school year which will be finalised as soon as possible.