Written answers

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Department of Education and Science

School Staffing

9:00 pm

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1525: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the development of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if his attention has been drawn to the growth of this all-Irish secondary school, and the costs involved to the promoters of the school in having to pay teachers from their own resources; the assistance he expects to give to this school during 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1362/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Gaelcholáiste in question commenced operation in September 2004 having received temporary recognition from my Department. An application for permanent recognition has been received and is currently being examined by my officials. When this is completed, a decision will be notified to the school authorities.

Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. It is a matter for the school to employ teachers up to the limit of its approved allocation and at its discretion to deploy those teachers to the subject areas that the school chooses to provide.

The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. Decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. In this respect Education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be entirely spared, and I acknowledge the impact of funding restrictions in a number of areas, including at school level. However, these are the inevitable result of the challenging economic environment and the need to manage Exchequer resources prudently.

Specific information in relation to the detailed staffing allocations that individual schools will have for the commencement of the academic year 2009/10 cannot be 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 against 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 concerned. Up to now there has not been an effective system wide redeployment scheme at post-primary but discussions on the arrangements for redeployment that will apply in the case of teachers that become surplus in situations other than school closure will re-commence shortly and the parties have agreed that these discussions will be finalised by end March 2009. Discrete allocations are made to post-primary schools for example to cater for pupils with Special Educational Needs and those with Language difficulties and these allocations can alter the ultimate position of the school in relation to any over quota position.

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