Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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157. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure the retention of the fourth teacher at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry for the 2014-2015 school year, in view of the fact that the school shows a rise of 93 registered children for the 2015-2016 school year and 101 registered children for the 2016-2017 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12188/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie.

The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one-teacher schools.

An appeals process is also available to small schools. Details of the appeals criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the March 2015 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The board held its first meeting for 2015 last week and those schools that have submitted an appeal will be informed of the decision of the Board shortly. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.