Written answers

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Department of Education and Skills

School Staffing

10:00 pm

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will accept the appeal lodged by Donegal Vocational Education Committee in respect of the loss of ex-quota guidance counsellor posts and disadvantaged area posts in VEC secondary schools in County Donegal. [25762/12]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Teacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. My Department has published the staffing arrangements at post primary level for the coming school year, 2012/13. The relevant Post Primary circular is 0009/2012 which is available on my Department's website. At post primary level schools will have autonomy on how best to prioritise its available resources to meet its requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to its students. Decisions on how this is done will be taken at school level and I am confident that schools will act in the best interest of students when determining precisely how to use the teaching resources available to them.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A key priority for me is to continue to prioritise and target available funding at schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. All 195 second-level schools in DEIS, including eight of the VEC secondary schools referred to by the Deputy, have been given targeted support by a more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1. This is a 0.75 point reduction compared to the existing PTR of 19:1 that applies in non fee-paying second-level schools. In accordance with existing arrangements, where a post primary school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short term support i.e., curricular concessions.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The allocation process also includes an appeals mechanism under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedule. The VEC referred to by the Deputy has submitted an appeal and will be notified of the outcome of the appeal when the appeal process is completed. The Appeal Board operate independently of the Department and its decision is final. The final staffing position for all schools at post primary level will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and all appeals to the Staffing Appeal Board will have been considered.

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