Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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152. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of fully restoring the staffing schedule for retaining and gaining a teacher that applied for schools before 2012 for three, four and five-teacher schools. [23188/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level and to commencing a review within three months of teacher appointment thresholds in small schools with four teachers or less.

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.

Budget 2012 increased the appointment and retention ratios for small schools (i.e., schools with up to four classroom teachers). Improvements to the staffing of these schools were announced for the 2015/16 school year. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for one-teacher schools situated 8km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and/or language of instruction.

This package of measures will provide rural communities with security about the future of their small schools, recognising the essential social function which small schools can play, especially in isolated communities.

In addition, Budget 2016 announced a 1 point improvement to the primary staffing schedule. The improved staffing schedule which is available on the Department website will be implemented for the 2016/17 school year.

The cost of restoring the 2011/12 staffing schedule for small schools would be approximately €7.5m (125 posts).

In the next Budget I will consider the best approach to further meeting commitments in the Programme for Government.