Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills an bhfuil sé i gceist aige an leithroinnt múinteoirí ex cuóta speisialta do mheánscoileanna ar oileáin a mhéadú ó aon mhúinteoir amháin go 2.5 mhúinteoir ag pointe scála bunúsach; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [8134/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Tugann mo Roinnse faomhadh do na leithdháiltí múinteoirí ar na scoileanna dara leibhéal ar fad de réir rialacha seanbhunaithe atá bunaithe ar an líon daltaí aitheanta ar an rolla. Na critéir maidir le leithdháileadh post in iúl do lucht bainistíochta scoileanna gach bliain agus beidh siad ar fáil ar shuíomh gréasáin na Roinne ag deireadh na míosa. I dteannta le leithdháiltí múinteoirí atá bunaithe ar an mór gcóir ar chóimheasa daltaí le múinteoir, leithdháiltear aon phost múinteoireachta amháin lasmuigh den chuóta ar scoileanna Oileáin. Níl aon athrú ar leithdháileadh don bhliain 2017/18 scoil.

De réir na socruithe foilsithe foirnithe ceanglaítear ar gach aon údarás bainistíochta scoile a cuid roghanna ábhair a eagrú laistigh dá leithdháileadh faofa múinteoirí. Faoin údarás bainistíochta scoile atá sé sa chéad ásc foireann múinteoireachta a imlonnú sa scoil, cinneadh ar an raon ábhar a thairgtear agus faoi dheoidh freagracht a ghlacadh as an gcaighdeán múinteoireachta agus foghlama sa scoil.

Ag an iar-bhunleibhéal agus de réir na socruithe atá ann faoi láthair, áit nach mbíonn údarás bainistíochta scoile in ann a chuid tiomantas curaclaim a chomhlíonadh laistigh dá leithdháileadh faofa, breithníonn mo Roinnse iarratais ar thacaíocht bhreise ghearrthéarma i.e., lamháltais churaclaim. Bíonn gá le tacaíocht ghearrthéarma (ar feadh bliana amháin de ghnáth ach gan dul thar 2/3 scoilbhliain) chun cur ar chumas an údaráis scoile freagairt ar dheacracht atá sainaitheanta le freastal ar na tiomantais churaclaim fíor-riachtanacha i leith na ndaltaí laistigh den ghnáth-leithdháileadh foirne.

Beidh mionsonraí an phróisis lamháltais churaclaim a leagan amach leis na critéir maidir le leithdháileadh post agus beidh sé ar fáil ar an láithreán gréasáin chomh.

Tá sás achomharc san áireamh sa phróiseas leithdháilte chomh maith faoina féidir le scoileanna achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh an leithdháilte atá ag dul dóibh faoi na sceidil foirnithe. Tá na nósanna imeachta maidir le hachomharc leagtha amach sna socruithe foilsithe foirnithe chomh maith. Feidhmíonn an Bord Achomharc go neamhspleách ar an Roinn agus ní bhíonn dul thar a bhreith.

Is é an dúshlán atá roimh na scoileanna go léir ná a chinntiú go mbaineann siad leas as na hacmhainní atá leithdháilte dóibh a fheabhas is féidir chun na torthaí múinteoireachta agus foghlama a uasmhéadú.

Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and will be available on the Department website at the end of the month. In addition to teacher allocations based largely on pupil teacher ratios, an ex-quota allocation of one teaching post is also allocated to Island schools. There is no change to this allocation in respect of the 2017/18 school year.

In accordance with the published staffing arrangements each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.

At post primary level and in accordance with existing arrangements, where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short term support i.e., curricular concessions. Short term support is needed (normally for one year but not exceeding 2/3 school years) to enable the school authority to respond to the identified difficulty in meeting essential curricular commitments to pupils within the normal staffing allocation.

The detail of the curricular concession process will be set out with the criteria for the allocation of posts and will also be available on the website.

The allocation process also includes an appeals mechanism under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The appeal procedures are also set out in the published staffing arrangements. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.