Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 215: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will allow a school (details supplied) in County Limerick to retain its teaching numbers for 2009-2010 in view of the fact that it is only one pupil below the new retention figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10286/09]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 220: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that primary education is put on a protected status during this economic climate and that all cuts already administered are reversed and primary education receives adequate funding to ensure that the well being of society and future prosperity are secured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10336/09]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 221: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that there will be no reduction in teaching staff at schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10344/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 215, 220 and 221 together.

I have consistently said that 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 there will still be a significantly increased borrowing requirement in 2009.

The budget measures will impact on individual schools in different ways depending on whether enrolment is rising or declining and the degree to which any one school has more teachers than it is entitled to under the allocation processes. In terms of the position at individual school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2008. The annual process of seeking this enrolment data from schools took place in the autumn and the data have since been received and processed in my Department enabling the commencement of the processes by which teaching resources are allocated to schools for the school year that begins next September.

My Department has written to the primary schools that are projected to have a net loss or gain in classroom teaching posts in September, 2009 including the schools referred to by the Deputies. As part of my efforts to ensure that relevant information is openly available to the public detailed information on the opening position for primary schools is now published on my Department's website. This provisional list sets out the details on individual schools that, taken collectively, are projected to gain 128 posts and to lose 382 posts — a net reduction of 254 posts. It is my intention to have this information updated and ultimately to set out the final position when the allocation processes are completed.

The above allocations are provisional at this stage and reflect the initial allocation position. The final position for any one school will depend on a number of other factors such as additional posts for schools that are developing rapidly and posts allocated as a result of the appeals processes. The operation of redeployment arrangements also impacts on the final position as a teacher can remain in his or her existing school where a suitable redeployment position does not exist. The final staffing position for all schools will therefore not be known until the autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed for mainstream classroom teachers and appeals to the Staffing Appeals Board including any appeals submitted by the schools referred to by the Deputies will have been considered. It is open to any primary school Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to the independent Appeal Board which was established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application dates for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule, Circular 0002/2009, available on my Department's website.

The Appeal Board meets in May, July and October each year to consider cases submitted. Appeals must be submitted to Primary Allocations Section, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, on the standard application form, clearly stating the criterion under which the appeal is being made. The standard application form is available on my Department's website. Closing dates for receipt of staffing appeals in the current year are 29 April, 29 May and 9 October 2009. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.