John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a staffing appeal application by a school (details supplied) will be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10522/18]

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

The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.

There is provision within the appeals process, under the Small Schools criteria, for schools with 4 teachers or less to appeal on the basis of projected enrolment for the coming September.  In the case of the school referred to by the Deputy, a projected enrolment of 81 for September 2018 is required to fulfil the appeal criteria. Details of the appeal process and application form are available in Circular 0010/2018, "Staffing Arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2018/19 School Year", which is published on the Department website.

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