Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 111: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that a school (details supplied) in County Louth will be allocated a third mainstream teaching post; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39545/10]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 168: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the request for the appointment of a third mainstream teacher in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Louth [39265/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 168 together.

The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level for this school year is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2009. The staffing schedule for the 2010/11 school year was published by my Department in March, 2010. The additional posts in the renewed Programme for Government enabled some improvement to be made to the staffing schedule. It is open to any Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule, Circular 0021/2010 which is available on my Department's website.

I understand that the school referred to by the Deputies submitted an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeal Board which was considered by the Board at its meeting on 19 October 2010. The Board decided that a departure from the staffing schedule was not warranted in this case and the school has been notified in this regard. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.