Written answers

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Department of Education and Skills

School Staffing

Photo of Séamus KirkSéamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

567. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reversing the adjustments made to the school staffing ratios in four-teacher; three-teacher; and two-teacher primary schools that pertained before the Government took office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36150/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The cumulative savings achieved from the small schools budget measure introduced as part of the Budget 2012 decisions are of the order of €20m. This gives an indication of the overall costs involved in relation to restoring teacher numbers in small schools.

In the current school year I introduced two new policies to provide some improvement to the staffing levels of some of our smallest 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 available to small schools in the event that they can show that their projected enrolments are sufficient to allow them to retain their classroom teacher in the longer term. Details of the appeal criteria are also set out in the published staffing arrangements. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

The Deputy will be aware that I have made provision in Budget 2016 for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year. These posts will provide for an improvement in the staffing schedules at primary and post primary levels, enhance the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their teaching time, an improvement to the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level and additional resource posts to meet special education needs.

At primary level there will be a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule to be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. The improved staffing schedule is available on the Department website.

The staffing arrangements for all schools for the 2016/17 school year will be published early in 2016.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.