Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

350. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if and when a school place can be facilitated in the case of the son of a person (details supplied), who has not been offered a place in his local school due to oversubscription, but whose sibling attends the school; if all efforts can be made to ensure that this child is not without a school place for September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9796/23]

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

My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.

Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

Scoil Bhride is located in the Naas School Planning area. While my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in Naas School Planning area , it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

My Department is working to establish the true extent of any capacity issues across school planning areas through ongoing discussions with the relevant school patrons and authorities.

This close engagement will allow my Department to identify at an early stage particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming years which may necessitate further action to that already in train including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm that where a school (details supplied), that currently has 162 pupils on its roll, had 160 at the beginning of the school year, and where it is estimated that it will have 174 pupils in the school year commencing September 2023, it will not now lose a teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9806/23]

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

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 2023/24 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 23 pupils which is a historical low ratio.Lower thresholds apply 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. Information on the appeals process and application forms are available in Circular 0006/2023.