Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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592. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the teacher allocation for 2026-2027 for a school (details supplied) will be reviewed given concerns amongst parents regarding a split class proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39571/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally.

The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.).

The staffing arrangements for the 2026/27 school year are set out in Circular 0025/2026. That circular contains information and application forms on the staffing appeals process, where schools may appeal their staffing allocation to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal submitted by the school was unsuccessful. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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593. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether her Department has undertaken any review of the operation of contract of indefinite duration, CID, arrangements for primary and post-primary school teachers in recent years; whether concerns have been raised regarding the repeated use of fixed-term contracts preventing progression to permanency for long-serving teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39710/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Haddington Road Agreement (The Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 – 2016)

provided at Appendix 5 for Collective Agreements in the Education Sector. Specific provision

was made for a consideration of fixed-term and part-time employment in teaching as follows:

“Fixed-term/part-time employment in teaching:

An Expert Group will be established to consider and report on the level of fixed-term and part-time employment in teaching, having regard to the importance for teachers of employment stability and security and taking account of system and school needs and Teaching Council registration requirements.

Arising from this, my Department published Circulars 23/2015 and 24/2015 which reduced the qualification period for the award of a CID from a period of three years of continuous service to a period of two years of continuous service, subject to satisfying the required criteria and where the school will have a viable post available.

In April 2025, my predecessor, Minister McEntee announced that the criteria for eligibility for a CID would be further reduced from the period of two years to a period of one year of continuous service, subject to satisfying the required criteria and where the school will have a viable post available. Circulars 20/2026 and 21/2026 gave effect to the revised criteria.

The reduction in the qualifying period was introduced with the aim of helping teachers to place their careers on a more stable footing much sooner than before and to provide additional employment certainty to them.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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594. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way her Department monitors the interpretation and application of "viable hours" in determining eligibility for contract of indefinite duration, CID, entitlement in primary schools; whether any assessment has been undertaken into inconsistencies in the application of CID pathways across schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39711/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Department Circular 20/2026 sets out the revised criteria for the award of a CID in Primary Schools. Under the provisions of the school, it is the school, as the employer, that is required to make the determination on if a teacher employed by the school has satisfied the eligibility criteria for the award of a CID, based on the information set out in the circular and the relevant guidance document, and based on if the school will have a viable post available to the school.

Circular 20/2026 sets out that a post is considered to be viable if it is for a reasonable period, comes from the school/ETB allocation for the forthcoming year, does not solely relate to temporary cover (e.g. covering for maternity leave/sick leave) and where there are no objective grounds. It should be noted

that a reasonable period is considered to be at least a full school year.