Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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308. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to allow a school (details supplied) to maintain its existing pupil-teacher ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13127/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2016/2017 school year is set out in Circular 0007/2016. 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 30 September 2015.

The school referred to by the Deputy will have a mainstream teaching post suppressed for the 2016/17 school year due to falling enrolments. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. My Department has not received a staffing appeal from the school referred to by the Deputy.

The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.