Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

431. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools that have requested an additional teacher, based on the availability of classrooms rather than student numbers, to enable smaller classes and social distancing between 1 May and 31 October 2020, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34760/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Teaching posts are allocated based on confirmed enrolments from the previous September and the staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.

This year the Department and the Primary Staffing Appeals Board are very cognisant of the impact of COVID-19 on schools and in that context has looked carefully at all decisions on the allocation of teaching posts where schools have reduced enrolments to ensure that all decisions are reasonable and all schools are treated fairly.

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

In relation to appeals dealt with by the Primary Appeals Board, 195 appeals were submitted by schools. These included schools that were due to lose a post and schools that sought to gain an additional teaching post based on projected enrolments. 14% of these schools were unsuccessful in their appeal with the main reason being instances where schools had forecasted a larger intake of pupils than materialised and in some cases the overall number of pupils returned on 30th September was lower than last’s years enrolment and did not warrant an additional teacher based on current staffing schedules.