Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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585. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the degree to which she remains satisfied with her ability, and the need, to provide for smaller rural denominational schools, with particular reference to adhering to traditional commitments, while at the same time introducing an adequate degree of modernisation to secure a high standard and quality of education throughout the primary sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26408/15]

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. 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. These improvements particularly recognise the challenges faced by very small schools that are more than 8 km from the next nearest school of the same type.

This package of measures will provide rural communities with security about the future of their small schools, recognising the essential social function which small schools can play, especially in isolated communities. These improvements in the Staffing Schedule for small schools are the only changes that I am making to the staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year.