Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 526: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when, further to his remarks in Dáil Éireann whereby up to 15% of all national schools in the country will lose a teacher from 1 September 2009, he will be in a position to outline those schools which are expected to lose a teacher or teachers; if this information is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40660/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 527: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the basis, further to his claim in Dáil Éireann whereby up to 15% of all national schools in the country will lose a teacher from September 2009, on which he came to this estimate, in view of the fact that not all schools have submitted their enrolment figures to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40661/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 526 and 527 together.

My Department's budget for next year has been prepared on the same fundamental basis as any other year by estimating the number of teachers that will be employed under the different categories given the policies in place, for example, mainstream classroom teachers, special needs and language support teachers and allowing for any change in overall demographics. The figures, both for increases and decreases in the estimated number of teaching posts, are related to the possible impact of changes to the staffing schedules and the effectiveness of redeployment as part of the detailed allocation process to individual schools.

The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally spared. The various impacts at school level were included in the Budget day announcements. Even with the Budget measures in place, provision for teachers and pay and pensions has increased by about €300 million to €5.4 billion in 2009.

My Department will be advising individual schools in the normal way in relation to their staffing allocations. The staffing schedule will be published and it is a transparent and clear way of ensuring that schools are treated consistently and fairly and know where they stand. The preparatory work for the staffing allocations has commenced with the processing of enrolment data that has been received from schools. The staffing allocation processes including notification to schools will commence early in the New Year. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. 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.

I have no difficulty in setting out for this House or for the public generally the overall net impact of the budget measures on aggregate teacher numbers in schools for the 2009/10 school year. I will do this when the allocation process has been completed.