Written answers

Wednesday, 31 October 2007

Department of Education and Skills

School Staffing

9:00 pm

Photo of Joe CareyJoe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 423: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will grant a school (details supplied) in County Clare a temporary teacher for the remainder of the 2007-08 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26135/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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According to data submitted to my Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the Deputy, the enrolment in the school on 30th September 2006 was 312 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0020/2007), which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007/08 school year is a Principal and 11 mainstream class teachers.

The school also has the services of 3 Permanent Learning Support/Resource Teachers and 1 Temporary Resource Teacher for Travellers.

My Department understands that the information given by the Deputy in his question in relation to the size of individual classes in the school is incorrect.

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 If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.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 of a school 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. An appeal in relation to the staffing for the 2007/2008 school year was submitted by this school and the appeal was considered by the Appeal Board on 23rd October, 2007. The Board, having considered the appeal with regard to the criteria outlined in Circular 0024/2007, was satisfied that a departure from the staffing schedule is not warranted in this case.

The Board of Management of the school was notified in writing of the decision of the Appeal Board on 24th October 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.

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