Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 1802: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of pupils by school in each national school in County Kildare for the 2007/2008 school year in class sizes of less than 20, 20 to 24 pupils, and 25 to 29 pupils, 30 to 34 pupils, 35 to 39 pupils and 40 plus pupils. [31265/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently examining its policy in relation to the dissemination of data on class size in respect of individual classes in individual schools with a view to determining the best approach to the information needs of users and the resources required to generate tables for special requests.

Data are already published on a regular basis in relation to class size for each County in each year.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 1803: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that two first classes in a school (details supplied) in County Kildare have 34 pupils in each class and that the school does not qualify for developing school status; and if he will review the circumstances in this school in view of the promise in the Programme for Government to reduce class sizes for under 9s to 20 pupils. [31266/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Schools have flexibility in the way in which they assign pupils and teachers to classes and the Department does not allocate teachers to specific classes or age groups. 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.

Posts allocated on the basis of this staffing schedule are specifically for mainstream classes and should be deployed accordingly. School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible, taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment). In particular, school authorities should ensure that there is an equitable distribution of pupils in mainstream classes and that the differential between the largest and smallest classes is kept to a minimum.

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.

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 2007 was 460 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0010/2008), which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie and a hard copy of which has been issued to all primary schools, the mainstream staffing in the school for the current school year is a Principal and 17 mainstream class teachers.

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. The criteria are also available in Circular 0024/2007 (Appeal Board for Mainstream Staffing in Primary Schools) which is available on my Department's website.

The first meeting of the Appeal Board took place on 20th May, 2008. The next meeting is scheduled to take place on 28th October 2008. The closing date for receipt of appeals is 10 October 2008. 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 Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.