Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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255. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 197 of 14 June 2016, the reason his response and the decision of the board fails to take into consideration the health and safety issues raised by the chairperson of the board in relation to the very small size of the classroom (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20744/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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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.).

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 staffing circular includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.

As the Deputy is aware, the school submitted an appeal to the May 2016 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school has been informed that its appeal does not meet the criteria set out in Circular 0007/2016.

The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.