Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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495. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application to the primary staffing appeals board by a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5166/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board.

The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the March 2016 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The Appeals Board determined that the application did not satisfy the published criteria as set out in Circular 0007/2016. The school has been notified accordingly.

The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

The published staffing arrangements include the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment for the following September, in this case September 2016. If the school in question is experiencing a rapid increase in enrolment it is open to the school to submit an application to the Primary Allocations Section of the Department for consideration for developing school status.