Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 425: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will sanction the appointment of an additional teacher from September 2007 to a national school (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18859/07]

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 30th 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 30th September 2005 was 190 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 7 mainstream class teachers.

The enrolment in the school on 30th September 2006 was 199 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 7 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 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 If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

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 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 the 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 24th 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.