Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 269: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 253 of 16 June 2009, if four language support teachers will be approved for a school (details supplied) in County Clare in view of the language support needs of the student population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26611/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that Circular 0015/2009 sets out how the new arrangements will operate for the allocation of language support teachers from September 2009. The circular sets out a structure and transparent approach for the operation of the alleviation measures that were announced in the budget for schools that have a significant concentration of newcomer pupils, including application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The Appeal Board normally meets in May, June and October each year to consider cases submitted. However, in order to facilitate the additional appeals arising from the inclusion of EAL appeals under circular 0015/2009, the Board will hold an additional meeting in August this year. The closing date for receipt of appeals for this meeting is 31 July, 2009.

I understand that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The Board of Management of the school will be notified of the outcome of appeal following that process. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will indicate to schools in County Westmeath who will lose at least one teacher at either primary or secondary level from September 2009, if he will review the circumstances by which such decisions are made and restore such schools to their existing complement of teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26625/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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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 and in view of the ominous financial circumstances that we are facing I am not in a position to reverse any of the decisions taken. I am committed to providing information in relation to the allocation of teachers to schools and as a new feature on my Department's website. The process has begun with the provision earlier this year of initial information on the allocation of mainstream classroom teachers to primary schools under the revised schedule for 2009/10.

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. Initial allocation letters have also issued to Post Primary Schools and Vocational Educational Committees. Information on the teacher allocations to second level schools, whether enrolment related or otherwise, is currently being compiled into a format for publication on my Department's website in the coming weeks. My intention is that, just as is the case with the information provided in relation to primary schools, this information will identify the changed position for second level schools and VECs arising from the October budget decisions.

At the level of individual schools the changes in relation to the allocation of teaching posts will impact 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. Across the school system generally there will inevitably be an impact on class sizes and at post-primary level the changes will impact on the capacity of individual schools to offer as wide a range of subject choices as heretofore in future years. My Department will through the normal processing of examining applications for curricular concessions endeavour to ensure continuity of provision for those already preparing for the certificate examinations. The changes at second level are therefore more likely to impact on the range of subjects that schools will be able to offer to those starting the Junior or Leaving Certificate programmes next September. All the above allocations, primary and post-primary 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 the allocation of support teachers, additional posts for schools that are developing rapidly and posts allocated as a result of the appeals processes. The final staffing position for all schools will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed for mainstream classroom teachers and any appeals to the Staffing Appeals Boards will have been considered. The appellate process is particularly relevant at post-primary level where any specific curricular needs of the school concerned are considered. Also at post-primary there is no effective system wide redeployment scheme at present and this can mean that schools may end up retaining teachers, though over quota.