Vol. 493 No. 3
497 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to improve the pupil-teacher ratio and staffing levels in a school (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16343/98]
The staffing of a school is determined by the enrolment of the school at 30 September of the preceding year. The authorised staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy is a principal and one teacher. This staffing is based on an enrolment of 25 pupils at the school on 30 September 1997. Accordingly, I regret it is not open to me to allocate an additional teaching post to the school.
498 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse his Department's decision to reduce the number of teachers in a school (details supplied) in County Meath in view of the fact that this school is in a rural area and in serious need of the third teacher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16344/98]
The staffing of a school is determined by the enrolment in the school at 30 September of the preceding school year. A teaching post at the school referred to by the Deputy will be lost at the end of the current school year because the enrolment at the school declined from 56 pupils in September 1996 to 49 pupils in September 1997. The figure for the retention of the post is 55 pupils. Unfortunately, in light of the overall enrolment decline at the school, I am not in a position to authorise the retention of the post at the school.
