Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take to ensure that a school (details supplied) in Dublin 17 does not lose one of its legacy posts in the staffing schedule for September 2012 in view of the fact that the school's enrolment has increased but apparently it may lose this critical legacy post because of the changes to the pupil teacher ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15729/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on my Department's website. This includes details of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools.

The overall objective with the reforms is to enable the teacher allocation and redeployment process to operate more smoothly and efficiently within the new climate of fixed ceilings on teaching posts. The changes are designed to give a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools, give earlier certainty to schools about their staffing allocations and, where possible, simplify and streamline existing processes and give greater autonomy to schools.

The new arrangements incorporate a long overdue updating of the General Allocation Model (GAM) combining learning support for high incidence special needs and language support for all schools. It also includes changes to NCSE approved (low incidence) resource hours in the base schools or in neighbouring schools. This approach builds on the interim arrangements that operated in 2011 but in a more structured and transparent manner.

The school to which the Deputy refers was among the 140 DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 schools included in the recent report on the impact, in terms of posts, that certain Budget measures would have on these schools.

The main focus of this report concerned additional posts allocated under disadvantage schemes pre-dating DEIS. The outcome of this report was published last month and schools were notified of the Government's decision to retain these posts in DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 Schools.

As I have already indicated, I requested my Department to examine these schools due to conflicting number of posts being reported as potentially lost to these schools. It was necessary to obtain clarity with regard to the net effect of a range of factors on teacher allocations in these schools; for example, increasing and decreasing enrolments, the reforms to the existing teacher allocations process and up to date enrolments, all of which contribute to determining the staffing requirement for these schools for 2012/13 school year.

Applying the new staffing schedule for Band 1 schools and the Government's decision in relation to schools retaining posts from previous disadvantage schemes ensures that these schools can continue to implement the appropriate favourable pupil teacher ratios from previous disadvantage schemes while not exceeding this entitlement for 2012/13 school year.

There will be no change to number of teaching staff allocated to this school for 2012/13 over their current staffing compliment as the school has had no significant change in its enrolment and it has not been affected by the change to the new staffing schedule.

The allocation processes also include an appeals mechanism under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The appeal procedures are set out in the circular referred to above.

For the coming school year the existing staffing appeals criteria have been extended to enable some limited phasing arrangements for schools where the combination of budget and reform measures impact on a particularly adverse manner on a school's overall allocation. The closing date for submission of appeal is 23 March, 2012. The Appeal Boards operate independently of the Department and their decisions are final.

The final staffing position for all schools at primary level will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and any appeals to the Staffing Appeal Boards will have been considered.