Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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415. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the correspondence regarding staffing, building and resources issues in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8483/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application under my Department's 2016 Summer Works Scheme for mechanical works.

Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Scheme, applications including that from the school concerned, are being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (0055/2015), is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants shortly.

I understand also that my Department's Planning and Building Unit discussed accommodation matters with the school in question in February last and advised that it was open to the school to submit an application for capital funding, as appropriate, when it had assessed its accommodation needs further. It is noted that the school has not submitted an application to date.

With regard to staffing, teacher allocations to all second-level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment and, in accordance with these rules, each school is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are a matter for the individual schools.

At post primary level and in accordance with existing arrangements, where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short term support i.e., curricular concessions. Short term support is needed (normally for one year but not exceeding 2/3 school years) to enable the school authority to respond to the identified problem. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on my Department website.