Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - School Staffing.

Mr. G. Reynolds

There is great fear and anxiety among parents and pupils of the girls' primary school in Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, regarding the possible withdrawal of a teacher in September 1998. Enrolment on 30 September 1997 amounted to 178 pupils, eight short of the number which would allow it to maintain the existing number of teachers. Enrolment on 30 September 1998 will definitely be over 186, giving the school more pupils than it had the previous September.

Carrick-on-Shannon is the largest town in County Leitrim. Over the past number of years, particularly the past two years, there has been a significant number of people settling in the town, with over 100 houses being built in the town area as a result of the Masonite factory just outside it. Masonite is one of the largest factories and employers in Europe. In addition, many families are returning from abroad. The indications seriously suggest a large influx of students to the girls' primary school in Carrick-on-Shannon.

It is also necessary to take into consideration the ethnic minority in the school, with Chinese, Pakistani, Australian, Welsh and English children attending it. This makes it more difficult for teachers due to the problems regarding language. The school also has children with special needs but there is no special class, necessitating smaller class sizes. Reducing the teacher numbers by one will have the opposite effect. A significant portion of children in the school require remedial teaching. Currently, the school shares a remedial teacher with a number of other schools in the area.

Some years ago two local schools, namely, those in Jamestown, County Leitrim and Cortober in County Roscommon, were amalgamated with the girls' primary school in Carrick-on-Shannon which enlarged the number of pupils in the school.

I understand the principal has to act as an administrator and full time teacher. If the school loses a teacher she will have to take two classes. Otherwise, some teachers would have to teach up to 40 pupils, which is not acceptable. I think the Minister agrees and departmental policy has stated that no class should have to up to 40 pupils.

I ask the Minister to look sympathetically at my request that no teacher is lost from the primary school in Carrick-on-Shannon because of the large influx of pupils to the school in September 1998.

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to talk to the House about this matter. I draw the Deputy's attention to the manner in which the staffing allocation of primary schools is determined. The staffing of a national school for a particular year is determined by the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous year. This is in accordance with an agreement on staffing entered into between the Government and the INTO.

The enrolment of Scoil Náisiúnta Maighdean Mhuire, Carrick-on-Shannon, on 30 September 1996 was 197 pupils. This enrolment warranted a staffing level of a principal and six assistants for the l997-8 school year. Additionally, the school has the services of a shared remedial teacher who is based in the school.

Unfortunately, the enrolment of the school on 30 September l997 declined to 178 pupils. This latter enrolment warrants a staffing of a principal and five assistants for the 1998-9 school year. The school would have needed an enrolment of 186 pupils on 30 September 1997 to retain its sixth assistant teacher.

In the circumstances, the sixth assistant's post will be lost at the end of the current school year. The teacher in question has been offered panel rights which effectively guarantees the teacher another permanent post in a school within a 28 mile radius of Scoil Náisiúnta Maighdean Mhuire. This is in line with normal procedures.

Unfortunately, I am bound by the terms of the agreement set out above and cannot sanction the retention of the sixth assistant in this instance. In light of the comments made by the Deputy I will arrange for a local inspector to investigate the circumstances in the school but cannot hold out too much hope, given the agreements in place. We will look at the situation pertaining to the issue raised by the Deputy in terms of projected enrolment and other needs the school may have.