Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is an appeals mechanism for a school (details supplied) in order to appeal a potential loss of a mainstream school teacher in September 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13033/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The relevant appointment and retention figures for mainstream staffing for the coming school year have been published on the Department's website.

However, the staffing arrangements in schools for the 2012/2013 school year can also be affected by changes in their enrolment, the impact of other budget measures and the reforms to the teacher allocation process. The reform of the allocation process is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools so there will inevitably be some schools that will lose posts and some schools that will gain posts. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule Staffing Circular 0007/2012 that is now published on my Department's website. The closing date for submission of appeals for the April meeting of the Staffing Appeal Board is 23 March, 2012.