Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Education and Skills

School Staffing

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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422. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason teacher allocation Circular 2016/2017 has an exception made for the retention level of a second teacher of eight and on the other hand requires a school enrolment of 15 to regain the second teacher; her views that to ensure a safe and good quality education on island schools there is a need for a second teacher in all island schools with more than eight pupils; if it is intended to review the circular, taking into account the reservations of the Ombudsman for Children already made known to her Department; if it is intended to amend the circular to provide for a retain and reappointment level of eight in all island schools; the number of extra teachers that would be involved if such a decision were to be taken and the approximate cost of such a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7470/16]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the Department 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.

Budget 2012 increased the appointment and retention ratios for small schools (i.e., schools with up to four classroom teachers). The appointment figure for a 2nd teacher increased over a three year period from 12 pupils to 20 pupils.

The retention rate for island schools was retained at 8 and consistently applied since.

In February 2015, the Government improved the position of small remote schools (defined as more than 8km from other schools) by bringing the point they could get a second teacher from 20 to 15. This measure applied also to stand alone schools on the islands

Within limited resources, there was a limit to the overall number of teachers that could be funded in the recent budget; it was not possible to go beyond that point, but it is clearly open to a new Government within the next budget to apply the same measure to all other small remote schools.

For the 2015/16 school year there are 33 single teacher schools of which 5 are on the islands. If a second teacher was provided to all one teacher schools that annual additional cost would be approx. €1,980,000

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