Written answers

Tuesday, 7 April 2009

Department of Education and Science

School Staffing

11:00 pm

Photo of Terence FlanaganTerence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 373: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of teaching posts that have been withdrawn in schools in areas (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14175/09]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will intervene to personally ensure that the third teacher at a school (details supplied) in County Donegal is not placed on a redeployment panel in 2009; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the school will have 49 students on its roll in September 2009; his views on whether placing the third teacher on a redeployment panel would be most injudicious, in view of the fact that the third teacher will be required in September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14568/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 390 together.

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 has 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. 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 will have been considered.

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 application form for appeal is also available on my Department's website. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 375: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount of money spent on substitution in respect of teachers carrying out State examination work during term time, that is, for oral and practical exams and conferences associated with the exams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14191/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The cost of substitution for teachers undertaking work associated with the state examinations during term time claimed for the 2007/2008 school year was 1.23 million euros. This information relates to the costs incurred for secondary and community/ comprehensive schools only and the data is obtained from claims submitted to my Department by the managerial authorities of those schools. The information for the substitution costs incurred for Vocational Education Committees is not readily available. The substitution costs of teachers employed by them undertaking work associated with the state examinations are paid by each individual VEC.

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