Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

409 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science if Scoil Aonghusa senior national school, Balrothery, Tallaght, Dublin 24, is due to lose a teacher in September 1999; if so, the reason for the loss of a teaching post; if his attention has been drawn to the serious problems this potential loss will cause for the school; if he will review the position of this school in view of the special circumstances of this case and parental concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14980/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The staffing of primary schools is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with long-standing guidelines agreed between this Department and the education partners.

The current staffing of Scoil Aonghusa is a principal and eight mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 251 as at 30 September, 1997. The school also has the services of an extra teacher due to the school's disadvantaged status, a remedial teacher, one special additional assistant and a shared special additional assistant, a shared home school liaison teacher and a support teacher.

The enrolment as at 30 September 1998, on which the staffing for the 1999-2000 school year is based, had fallen to 206 pupils. Unfortunately, despite the significant improvements which I implemented to the 1999-2000 staffing schedules, this does not meet the retention requirement for the seventh and eight assistant teachers in this school.