Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1607: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the nature and extent of dialogue between his Department and the authorities of each of the schools, primary and post primary, in Naas, County Kildare in regard to the application of budgetary cuts coming into force; if his attention has been drawn to, or he has given instructions or direction as to the way each school is to proceed; the way the pupil-teacher ratios are expected to be affected in each case; the extent to which the number of teachers are expected to increase or decrease throughout the year; if he or his Department have received an indication from any of the schools suggesting a methodology for procedure; if a calculation has been done as to the number of teachers expected to lose their jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2137/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1608: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the nature and extent of dialogue between his Department and the authorities of each of the schools, primary and post primary, in Clane, County Kildare in regard to the application of budgetary cuts coming into force; if his attention has been drawn to, or he has given instructions or direction as to the way each school is to proceed; the way the pupil-teacher ratios are expected to be affected in each case; the extent to which the number of teachers are expected to increase or decrease throughout the year; if he or his Department have received an indication from any of the schools suggesting a methodology for procedure; if a calculation has been done as to the number of teachers expected to lose their jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2138/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1609: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the nature and extent of dialogue between his Department and the authorities of each of the schools, primary and post primary, in Leixlip, County Kildare in regard to the application of budgetary cuts coming into force; if his attention has been drawn to, or he has given instructions or direction as to the way each school is to proceed; the way the pupil-teacher ratios are expected to be affected in each case; the extent to which the number of teachers are expected to increase or decrease throughout the year; if he or his Department have received an indication from any of the schools suggesting a methodology for procedure; if a calculation has been done as to the number of teachers expected to lose their jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2139/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1610: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the nature and extent of dialogue between his Department and the authorities of each of the schools, primary and post primary, in Celbridge, County Kildare in regard to the application of budgetary cuts coming into force; if his attention has been drawn to, or he has given instructions or direction as to the way each school is to proceed; the way the pupil-teacher ratios are expected to be affected in each case; the extent to which the number of teachers are expected to increase or decrease throughout the year; if he or his Department have received an indication from any of the schools suggesting a methodology for procedure; if a calculation has been done as to the number of teachers expected to lose their jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2140/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1611: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the nature and extent of dialogue between his Department and the authorities of each of the schools, primary and post primary, in Kilcock, County Kildare in regard to the application of budgetary cuts coming into force; if his attention has been drawn to, or he has given instructions or direction as to the way each school is to proceed; the way the pupil-teacher ratios are expected to be affected in each case; the extent to which the number of teachers are expected to increase or decrease throughout the year; if he or his Department have received an indication from any of the schools suggesting a methodology for procedure; if a calculation has been done as to the number of teachers expected to lose their jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2141/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1612: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the nature and extent of dialogue between his Department and the authorities of each of the schools, primary and post primary, in Maynooth, County Kildare in regard to the application of budgetary cuts coming into force; if his attention has been drawn to, or he has given instructions or direction as to the way each school is to proceed; the way the pupil-teacher ratios are expected to be affected in each case; the extent to which the number of teachers are expected to increase or decrease throughout the year; if he or his Department have received an indication from any of the schools suggesting a methodology for procedure; if a calculation has been done as to the number of teachers expected to lose their jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2142/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1607 to 1612, inclusive, together.

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 in relation to both staffing and grant levels were included in the Budget day announcements. Even with the budget measures in place there will still be a significantly increased borrowing requirement 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 shortly. 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. 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.

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 can do this when the allocation process has been completed.

At this time the priority for my Department within the resources available to it is to carry out those processes in a timely manner. Diverting resources in order to create staffing profiles for the schools referred to by the Deputy, could not be justified and would in fact impede the process.