Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a decision has been made on an appeal by a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary against a decision to reduce staffing levels at the school for the coming school year. [18293/07]

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 30 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.

Data submitted to the Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the Deputy indicates that the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2005 was 85 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0023/2006), which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2006/07 school year is a Principal and three mainstream class teachers.

The enrolment in the school on 30 September 2006 was 73 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0020/2007), which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie and a hard copy of which has issued to all primary schools, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007/08 school year will be a Principal and two mainstream class teachers.

Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. Under these arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30 September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30 September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

It is open to the Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board which was established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application dates for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule. They are also available in Circular 0024/2007 (Appeal Board for Mainstream Staffing in Primary Schools) which is available on my Department's website. Hard copies of this circular have issued to primary schools.

The school referred to by the Deputy lodged an appeal with the Primary Staffing Appeal Board. This appeal was heard at the Appeal Board meeting on 22 May 2007 and was refused. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. The Board of Management of the school was notified in writing of the decision of the Appeal Board on 24 May 2007. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the operations of the Independent Appeal Board.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to an application from a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11 for a concessionary teaching post in view of the particular class groupings which exist in the school and in view of the fact that this school is included in the DEIS initiative. [18295/07]

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 30 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.

Data submitted to my Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the Deputy, indicates that the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2005 was 401 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0023/2006), which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2006/07 school year is a Principal and 14 mainstream class teachers.

The enrolment in the school on 30 September 2006 was 377 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0020/2007), which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie and a hard copy of which has issued to all primary schools, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007/08 school year will be a Principal and 14 mainstream class teachers.

Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. Under these arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30 September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30 September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

It is open to the Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board which was established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application dates for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule. They are also available in Circular 0024/2007 (Appeal Board for Mainstream Staffing in Primary Schools) which is available on the Department's website. Hard copies of this circular have issued to all primary schools.

Appeals must be submitted to Primary Payments Section, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, on the standard application form, clearly stating the criterion under which the appeal is being made. The standard application form is available from Primary Payments Section or on my Department's website.

The first meeting of the Appeal Board was held in May 2007. Further meetings will be held in July and October 2007. The closing date for receipt of an appeal for the July meeting was 22 June while the closing date for the October meeting is 12 October. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Minister and the 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.