Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 606: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal which is seeking an appointment under the developing schools criteria in view of the overcrowding problem there and the safety issue which exists with regard to the size of its classroom. [17697/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. Under these arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30th September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn. I understand that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for a developing school post. My Department will make contact with the Board of Management in this regard.

It is open to the Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an 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. The criteria are also available in Circular 0024/2007 (Appeal Board for Mainstream Staffing in Primary Schools) which is available on my Department's website. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.