Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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321. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to designate island status to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10488/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 arrangements provide for a reduced enrolment required for the retention of the first and second classroom teaching post in an island school, where the school is the only remaining primary school on the island. The school referred to by the Deputy is accessible by bridge from the mainland and does not therefore have island status for the purpose of its staffing arrangements.