Vol. 437 No. 4
192 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education the current policy in relation to the replacement of primary teachers who are absent due to health or other reasons; whether there is a different policy in relation to short term and long term absenteeism; whether there is a shortage of available replacements in the Dublin area; and if so, the steps, if any, that are being considered to solve this problem.
Where primary teachers are absent on certified sick leave, maternity leave or jury service, the board of management of a school may employ a qualified substitute teacher, who will be paid by my Department. In the case of a teacher absent on unpaid leave, the board of management may employ a temporary qualified teacher who will be paid by my Department.
A number of boards of management in the Dublin area have indicated verbally, that on occasions they have experienced difficulty in obtaining the services of a qualified substitute teacher.
My Department has introduced, with effect from 1 September 1993, a two year pilot project in three areas, Ballymun/Finglas, Limerick city and North Mayo. The short term substitute needs of selected schools in these areas are provided by a panel of ten temporary teachers employed in each area, while the long-term substitution needs are provided in the traditional manner. My Department is closely monitoring the project and the experience provided will be of assistance in formulating proposals for alternative arrangements for substitute supply nationally.
193 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education the reason St. Brigid's Girls' School, Cabinteely, County Dublin is to lose its 16th teacher in January 1994; and if, in view of the fact that the school reached the required number of pupils on 16 October 1993, and that the school was only one pupil short of the required number on 30 September 1993, she will sanction the continuation of this school as a 16 teacher school.
The staffing of a national school is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous year. In the case of St. Brigid's boys national school, there were 503 pupils enrolled on 30 September 1992, which warrants a staff of principal plus 15 assistants for the 1993-94 school year. The school also has the services of a full-time remedial teacher. The only exceptions that can be made from the agreed staffing arrangements are in the case of developing schools or where my Department's guidelines on maximum class sizes are being breached.
The school authorities applied in April 1993, to my Department for sanction to appoint a 16th assistant on the basis that its projected enrolment of 534 pupils for September 1993, met the criteria laid down for designation as a developing school.
My Department sanctioned this additional assistant on a provisional basis, subject to the condition that a minimum enrolment of 533 be achieved when the teacher took up duty (this was the enrolment required under the criteria for designation as a developing school). The enrolment in the school on 30 September 1993, was 516, which was 17 pupils short of that laid down in my Department's letter of sanction.
A strict policy is operated in relation to teaching posts sanctioned on a provisional basis. Such posts are withdrawn if the conditions specified by my Department are not met. The school was allowed to retain the post up to the Christmas vacation in order to minimise any disruption in the school and to give the school authorities time to formulate alternative arrangements for classes.
