Vol. 469 No. 5
155 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education if she will agree to the retention of a fourth teacher at a national school (details supplied) in County Cork in view of the fact that the school is only short three pupils to make up the required numbers; and if her attention has been drawn to the fact that if the fourth teacher is not retained that the remaining three teachers will be teaching overcrowded classrooms. [17746/96]
I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question did not lose a post at the end of the 1995-96 school year. The current authorised staffing is based on the school's enrolment of 94 pupils at 30 September 1995 and consists of a principal and three assistant teachers. This is unchanged from the authorised staffing at the school in the 1995-96 school year. In addition the school has the services of a shared remedial teacher.
The staffing arrangements which will apply to primary schools for the 1997-98 school year will be determined at a later date.
