Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 183 of 3 October 2017, if the actual enrolment figures relating to the school referred to have now been received by the appeals board; if a decision has been made to uphold the school's appeal in this instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43525/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. 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. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.

The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.

The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for consideration by the Appeals Board at its April 2017 meeting under the small school criterion. The appeal was provisionally approved by the Appeals Board pending confirmation of the actual enrolments on 30 September 2017. However it now appears that the actual pupil numbers on that date have not come in as projected by the school and therefore this post will be suppressed on 27 October 2017.

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