Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1060. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide for the retention of a fifth classroom teacher at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will outline the appeal process a school may utilise to make a case for retaining teaching staff. [30852/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

For the 2022/23 school year, the staffing schedule for primary schools has been improved by one point and schools will be provided with class teachers on the basis of 1 teacher for every 24 pupils which is a historical low ratio, with lower thresholds applying to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools.

The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Details of the appeal process are available in Circular 25/2022.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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1061. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a primary school (details supplied) will receive funding for an additional teacher given that it has the number of students to allow for one, but will be forced to turn the students away if this is not approved. [30853/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

For the 2022/23 school year, the staffing schedule for primary schools has been improved by one point and schools will be provided with class teachers on the basis of 1 teacher for every 24 pupils which is a historical low ratio, with lower thresholds applying to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools.

The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Details of the appeal process are available in Circular 25/2022.

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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1062. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider enhancing the ratio in which assistant principal posts are allocated in DEIS schools in order to provide greater management-level support, taking into consideration the high demands that are often placed on principals in these schools to manage ancillary staff not currently taken into consideration when allocating management posts, such as SNAs, school-completion programme staff and multi-disciplinary team staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30855/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme is my Department's main strategy to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. this year my Department will spend almost €170million, rising to over €180million in 2023, supporting schools in the DEIS programme. These supports include the allocation of DEIS Grants, enhanced school book grants, allocation of home school community liaison coordinator posts and access to the school completion programme. DEIS supports also include the allocation of Deputy Principal posts and Administrative Principal posts at a lower enrolment threshold for DEIS schools.

The DEIS Plan is based on the premise that if we are to have the maximum possible impact on providing opportunities for students most at risk of educational disadvantage, then our extra resources must be targeted as closely as possible at those students with the greatest level of need. The DEIS plan aims to create a more dynamic resource allocation model where levels of resources more accurately follow the levels of need identified by the refined DEIS identification model.

The allocation of Assistant Principal posts may be considered as part of the DEIS resource allocation process and any changes to this allocation would need to be considered as part of the normal budgetary process.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1063. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will advise on the possible loss of a teacher at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30868/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

For the 2022/23 school year, the staffing schedule for primary schools has been improved by one point and schools will be provided with class teachers on the basis of 1 teacher for every 24 pupils which is a historical low ratio, with lower thresholds applying to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools.

The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Details of the appeal process are available in Circular 25/2022.