Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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283. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will deal with a matter concerning a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18854/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts to schools for the coming school year 2013/14 is set out in Circular 0013/2013, which is available on the Department website. These arrangements include the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment. Under the terms of Circular 0013/2013, Section 3, where a school is expanding the number of intake classes which would generate a new stream of pupils, the school must have received prior approval for such expansion from both the school patron and from the Planning and Building Unit of my Department.

The Forward Planning Section of my Department carried out an analysis on the catchment area in which the school referred to by the Deputy is included and concluded that there are sufficient primary school places in the catchment area to meet demand. As a result the school has been advised by the Planning and Building Unit that the staffing of the school should remain at Principal + 8 mainstream teachers and 2 special classes (ASD). The application for a post on developing grounds was refused on this basis.