Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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282. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46345/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that Scoil Muire gan Smál informed officials from my Department that the School Secretary did not wish to accept the Department’s revised terms and conditions and as such the School Secretary remains paid directly by the school.

An official from my Department has been in contact with the Principal and will work with the school Principal to resolve the issue.

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 appeal submitted by the school referred to by the Deputy was considered by the Board and it was determined that the grounds of the appeal did not warrant a departure from the staffing schedule. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.