Vol. 538 No. 3
315 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will re-examine the case of a teacher for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin where the required number of pupils will be in the school at the start of September 2001 school year; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that if the teacher is lost there will be classes of 35-36 pupils. [17861/01]
The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule and is finalised for a particular year following discussions with the education partners.
The enrolment at the school in question has decreased from 369 pupils on 30 September 1999 to 355 pupils on 30 September 2000. This latter enrolment will entitle the school to a staffing of a principal and 12 mainstream class teachers for the 2001-02 school year. In addition, the school has a learning support teacher and a resource teacher.
The only deviation from the agreed schedule, to which I referred, is in the case of schools that are experiencing a large increase in enrolments. In such cases, an additional staffing post may be sanctioned by my Department, if the schools meets the defined criteria.
Unfortunately, at this time, it is not possible to sanction the retention of 13th mainstream teaching post for the school year 2001-02 as the school's September 2000 enrolment does not meet the retention requirement of 360 pupils.
The staffing schedule for primary schools is designed to ensure that schools will operate to a maximum class size of 30 pupils by reference to the enrolment of 30 September of the previous school year. The organisation of classes and the allocation of class teachers within a school is a matter for the board of management. It is also a matter for the board to apply the general class size guidelines.
