Emmet Stagg
Question:486 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science when he will provide a shared resource teacher for a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23067/00]
Written Answers. - School Staffing.
My Department has received an application for shared resource teacher support from the school attended by the pupil in question.
This application is currently being examined by my Department's inspectorate. As soon as the inspectorate has reported, my Department will be in touch with the school authorities.
Enda Kenny
Question:487 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the circumstances under which temporary teachers can be appointed to primary schools where the enrolment figure warrants and entitles the school to a permanent appointment on 30 September in the following year; the number of temporary teachers who are so appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23068/00]
Enda Kenny
Question:493 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the guidelines agreed between his Department and the education partners in so far as staffing of primary schools is concerned; if he will change the regulation governing the appointment of permanent teachers to primary schools; if he will give consideration to the appointment of temporary teachers to such schools where the enrolment figure warrants appointment of a permanent teacher in the year subsequent to the enrolment figure being reached in September of the previous year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23075/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 493 together.
Teaching posts may be sanctioned provisionally to primary schools which qualify for developing school status. Such schools must satisfy specific criteria as follows: a school which has less than 298 pupils is required to increase its enrolment by 25 pupils over the previous school year, and must also exceed the point on the schedule where the next post is due by a minimum of five pupils; a school which has 299 or more pupils is required to increase its enrolment by 30 pupils over the previous school year, and must also exceed the point on the schedule where the next post is due by a minimum of ten pupils.
A total of 71 such posts have been provisionally sanctioned for the current school year. The enrolments at 30 September 2000 in the relevant schools are currently being verified so that the posts can be made permanent, where applicable.
Teaching posts may also be sanctioned provisionally to disadvantaged schools where the maximum class size is greater than 29:1. Such schools may apply for an additional post when they cannot organise their classes in compliance with the above guideline based on 30 September enrolment for the current year. A total of seven such posts have been provisionally sanctioned for the current school year. Again, the enrolments at 30 September 2000 in the relevant schools are currently being verified so that the posts can be made permanent, where applicable.
The staffing of primary schools is determined by a staffing schedule, which is formulated annually following discussions with the education partners. These discussions usually take place in the months of December and January, when details of all schools' enrolments are available. It would not be practical to change the existing regulations as suggested by the Deputy.
Enda Kenny
Question:488 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the enrolment at Burriscarra primary school, Claremorris, County Mayo, on 30 September 2000; his views on whether this enrolment figure entitles the school under current arrangements to a principal and two mainstream class teachers as and from 30 September 2001; if, in view of the fact that a spare classroom exists in this school, he will now sanction the appointment of a temporary teacher which would have the effect of reducing class numbers, improving the pupil-teacher ratio and allowing for a better education of the children involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23069/00]
Michael Ring
Question:517 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason he will not appoint a third teacher to a national school (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that the school had 56 pupils on the roll on 30 September 2000; and if he will consider the urgent appointment of a temporary teacher for the intervening year to September 2001 when it will qualify for a permanent teacher. [23214/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 517 together.
As the Deputies are aware, 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 guidelines agreed between this Department and the education partners.
The enrolment at the school in question on 30 September 1999 of 52 pupils warrants the staffing of a principal and one mainstream classroom teacher, which is the same staffing as the school had for the 1999-2000 school year. The school also has the services of a shared learning support teacher.
An enrolment of 56 pupils on 30 September 1999 was required in order to appoint the second mainstream class teacher for the 2000-01 school year. As the staffing schedule for the 2001-02 school year has not yet been finalised, the staffing for that school year cannot be predicted at this stage. Unfortunately, therefore, it is not open to me to sanction the appointment of a temporary teacher for the current school year.