Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 550: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review his decision to increase class sizes in the budget of 2009; if his attention has been drawn to the consequences of his proposal for the delivery of education in schools in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37400/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the schools in Co Clare for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. At primary level the final allocation to a school is also a function of the operation of the redeployment panels which provide for the retention of a teacher in an existing school if a new post is not available within the agreed terms of the scheme.

Schools are currently returning data to my Department in relation to their enrolment as of 30 September. My Department has commenced processing this data although all schools have not yet made their returns. The allocation processes including notification to schools will commence early in the New Year. Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included an increase in the enrolment bands of the staffing schedule for the allocation of teachers in primary schools from an average of one teacher for 27 pupils to an average of one teacher for 28 pupils.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 551: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the consequences of budgetary cutbacks for a school (details supplied) in County Clare; if he will ensure that the current number of teachers is retained at the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37403/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the school in question for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. At primary level the final allocation to a school is also a function of the operation of the redeployment panels which provide for the retention of a teacher in an existing school if a new post is not available within the agreed terms of the scheme.

Schools are currently returning data to my Department in relation to their enrolment as of 30 September. My Department has commenced processing this data although all schools have not yet made their returns. The allocation processes including notification to schools will commence early in the New Year.

Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included an increase in the enrolment bands of the staffing schedule for the allocation of teachers in primary schools from an average of one teacher for 27 pupils to an average of one teacher for 28 pupils.