Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the impact that the proposed education cuts will have on the capacity of secondary schools to maintain and develop the quality of teaching and learning offered to their students (details supplied); the solutions he proposes in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38196/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, due to current economic constraints, the Government has had to make extremely difficult decisions and choices across all public services and education is no different. There is an inescapable fact that pay constitutes the bulk of current expenditure on education and therefore measures impacting on the teaching resources available to schools were necessary. The specific measures I have had to take in relation to the staffing schedule have to be seen in this light. I had to take a measured and balanced view of what was reasonable in the circumstances.

The position is that detailed staffing allocations to individual schools for the commencement of the academic year 2009/10 will not be finally determined until the allocation processes have fully concluded.

There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation processes include appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal to increase the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. This is particularly relevant at post-primary level where the appellate process considers in particular any specific curricular needs of the school/schools concerned. At post-primary there is no effective system wide redeployment scheme at present and discrete allocations are made to post-primary schools for example to cater for pupils with Special Educational Needs and those with Language difficulties can alter the ultimate position of the school in relation to any over quota posts.

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 process of notifying schools of their allocation will commence early in the New Year.

On completion of the allocation process the deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.