Vol. 441 No. 8
146 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education if St. Brigid's girls primary school, Kilcoole, County Wicklow, will be permitted to retain the ninth assistant teacher in view of the large number of pupils on the roll and the fact that many of these children are disadvantaged; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
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 girls national school there were 276 pupils enrolled on 30 September 1992, which warrants a staff of principal plus nine assistants for the 1993-94 school year. The school also has the services of a remedial teacher on a shared basis.
There were 265 pupils enrolled in the school on 30 September 1993, which warrants a staff of principal plus eight assistants for the 1994-95 school year. The school would have needed an enrolment of at least 268 pupils in order to retain the post of ninth assistant in 1994-95.
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. If the school authorities feel that the school may qualify under either of these exceptions, my department will be happy to examine the position on receipt of projected enrolment details.
