Gabrielle McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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617. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the 2,260 additional teaching posts provided for in budget 2016 will be advertised; the location of these posts for a breakdown of the allocation for primary and post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36643/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The additional teaching posts referred to by the Deputy will be in place for the 2016/17 school year.

At primary level from next September the primary staffing schedule will operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. This positive development will require approximately 300 additional teaching posts in primary schools. At post-primary level the schedule will improve by .3 points, from 19:1 to 18.7:1, equivalent to 300 posts, while 250 additional posts will be used to enhance the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their teaching time. Additional release days will also be provided to teaching principals in primary schools. Funding is also being provided for the 2016/17 school year to meet the cost of up to an additional 600 resource teaching posts and a further 810 posts to meet demographic pressures at primary and post-primary level.

Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. The staffing arrangements for all schools for the 2016/17 school year will be published early in 2016.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.