Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an additional class teacher can be provided to a school (details supplied). [15723/23]

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 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.

The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

The appeal submitted by the school referred to by the Deputy was deemed ineligible on the basis that the grounds of the appeal did not meet the eligibility criteria, as published in Circular 0006/2023. The school has been notified of this decision.