Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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267. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the decision to refuse the provision of extra teaching staff to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13702/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

There is no change to the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2020/21 school year. 

The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. The appeal from the school submitted by the Deputy was considered by the Primary Staffing Appeals Board and deemed ineligible as the appeal did not meet the criteria published in Circular 18/2020. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board is independent of the Department and its decision is final.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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268. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which adequate provision can be made in respect of teaching staff levels at a school (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the possibility of the loss of a teacher and the negative consequences arising therefrom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13704/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in special schools, in accordance with the policies of my Department.

Staffing arrangements for special schools are in line with policy advice provided by the NCSE in 2013, which did not recommend alteration to staffing ratios established under the Special Education Review Committee (SERC) Report in 1993. 

Enhanced pupil teacher and SNA ratios are provided to special schools to support them in dealing with pupils' educational and care needs.

Since 2012, special schools are staffed on the basis of individual pupil profile and the disability categorisations of those pupils, as opposed to being based primarily on school designation, in accordance with my Department's molst recent Circular 0032/2019 - Appointment of Administrative Deputy Principal and Staffing in Special Schools.

Special school staffing alloctions are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE and special schools are staffed on the basis of each year’s current school enrolments.  

The NCSE are currently undertaking policy advice on the educational provision that should be in place for students educated in special schools and special classes. This policy advice will make recommendations on the provision required to enable students in special schools and classes achieve better outcomes. 

The NCSE have been asked to complete and submit its report to the Minister not later than December 2020. There will be no change to the staffing arrangements currently in place in special schools, pending the receipt and consideration of this policy advice.

The NCSE recently published their staffing allocation for 2020-21, and this is available on their website at www.ncse.ie. 

The NCSE is continuing to engage with this school on the matter of their staffing allocation for 2020-21.