Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 192: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 25 March 2010 regarding the teacher supply panels and in particular the suggestion as circulated by a school in Dublin 11 that the withdrawal of the supply panel will result in sub teachers without Garda vetting approval being used in the future, if her attention has been drawn to the circulation of this letter which has alarmed parents; if she will clarify the situation and allay parents concerns regarding non-Garda vetted teachers; the action that she will take regarding this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter.. [14384/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The arrangements for vetting of teaching and non-teaching staff are set out in Department Circular 0094/2006 which issued to all schools in June 2006. The Circular is available on my Department's website. The requirements under the Circular in regard to vetting are not diminished in any way by the policy decision in relation to the value for money consideration that applied to the pilot supply panels.

The employment and appointment of all teachers is a matter for each individual school board of management. Good recruitment practice in all cases should also involve the checking of recent employment records, qualifications, experience and names of referees. Irrespective of the position on vetting by the Garda Vetting Unit where facts or information comes to a Board of Management's attention calling into question a person's suitability to work with children it is a matter for the Board to satisfy itself that the person is suitable to work in that capacity. This will naturally have to be assessed on a case by case basis. The Board will have to consider all the circumstances of the case, give due weight to all relevant factors, and afford fair procedures to the individual concerned before making a decision.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 193: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science her views on the staffing levels at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11. [14385/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level for the coming school year is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2009.

The staffing schedule for the coming school year was recently published by my Department. The additional posts in the renewed Programme for Government enabled some improvement to be made to the staffing schedule. These improvements have been targeted at medium-to-larger schools which are typically under the greatest pressure in relation to class sizes.

The staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools who are dissatisfied with their staffing allocation. The appeals criteria are outlined in the published staffing schedule which is available on my Department's website.

Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give the full details sought by the Deputy.