Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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552. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 431 of 10 November 2020, the number of the 195 appeals made to the Primary Appeals Board that cited the availability of classrooms for social distancing in the context of Covid-19; if any school was allowed to retain a post or gain an additional teaching post based solely or partially on facilitating social distancing or using additional classrooms in the context of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37101/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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. 

A blanket freeze on the normal arrangements for allocations for one cohort of schools, such as those that have additional classrooms, would disadvantage all other schools of similar enrolment. It is an important feature of the staffing schedule that all schools are treated equally and fairly.  As previously advised, this year the Department and the Primary Staffing Appeals Board are very cognisant of the impact of COVID-19 on schools.  While the Department does not collate the information in the manner requested by the Deputy, the appeals process 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 Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.