John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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585. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if schools (details supplied) will be approved for teaching principals; if outstanding issues will be resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22167/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The staffing arrangements, including the criteria for Administrative Principal and the number of Principal Release Days allocated to schools, are set out in Department circulars and apply to all schools equally.

Appendix B of Circular 18/2020 sets out the criteria for Administrative Principal to a primary school. Schools, such as the ones referred to by the Deputy, required an enrolment of 176 on 30th September 2019 to meet this criteria. As neither school achieved the required enrolment on that date, it is not possible to allocate an administrative principal to the schools in the current school year.