Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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220. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider cutting the tenth mainstream class teacher from a school (details supplied) due to a shortfall of one class pupil; if he will reconsider his decision to cut the tenth mainstream teacher and take into account increases in pupil enrolments throughout the academic year and the planned additional intake of children already anticipated and reported to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16031/16]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 499 of 22 March 2016, if he will reconsider cutting the tenth mainstream class teacher from a school (details supplied) following on from the announcement of improved provision of primary teacher numbers; how this improvement will impact on north Kildare class sizes overall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16032/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together.

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 Deputy will be aware that Budget 2016 has made provision for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post-primary schools for the 2016/17 school year. At primary level, these posts will be used to provide an improvement to the staffing schedule, along with providing an improvement to the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level and additional resource posts to meet special education needs. There will be a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule for the 2016/17 school year. This will see the schedule operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils, rather than the current 28.

Based on the 2016/17 staffing schedule, 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.