Vol. 398 No. 2
19 Mr. Taylor asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the urgent needs of the children at Loreto school, Mountain Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24 for the retention of their teacher numbers as at 1 April 1990, she will make an exception in the case of this school by allowing the retention of the additional teacher needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The position is that staffing of national schools for a particular year is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous year. This is in accordance with the agreement on staffing made between the Government and the INTO under the Programme for National Recovery.
The staffing of Our Lady of Loreto girls national school, Tallaght, for the current school year, 1989-90, was determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September 1988. The enrolment of 246 pupils on that date warranted a staff of principal plus six assistants for the 1989-90 school year. The school also has the services of a remedial teacher and a special class assistant. The posts of seventh and eighth assistant in the school were discontinued week ending from 31 August 1989, due to falling enrolments. The two teachers concerned were placed on the Dublin diocesan panel for redeployment from 1 September 1989.
The eighth assistant was redeployed to another national school from that date while the seventh assistant claimed an exemption from the panel rule on the grounds of maternity. The exemption applies for a period of six months before and nine months after the birth of her child which in that teacher's case expired on 15 February 1990. The teacher was, therefore, obliged to accept the first offer of employment received after that date. She was offered a post in a national school in Drimnagh and took up duty there after the Easter vacation.
The retention of the teacher in Loreto girls national school, Tallaght, after the expiration of her maternity exemption was not warranted by the enrolment in the school.
