Vol. 556 No. 4
163 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will allocate an additional teaching post to the Sacred Heart National School, Newbawn, County Wexford; if an application for temporary accommodation to include a classroom, a physical education room and an office at the school is being considered; if he will review their application for an extension to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20763/02]
The staffing of a primary school is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous year. The number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule and is agreed for a particular year following discussions with the education partners. The enrolment of Sacred Heart National School on 30 September 2001 was 108 pupils, which warrants a staffing of a teaching principal and three mainstream class teachers for the 2002-03 school year. As the agreed appointment figure for the fourth mainstream class teacher is 116 pupils, I regret that there is no basis on which I may sanction an additional post at Sacred Heart National School for the 2002-03 school year.
The Deputy may be aware that I recently established an independent appeals board to adjudicate on appeals from boards of management on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. The appeals board will operate independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision will be final. A circular outlining these new procedures has recently been issued to all primary schools and is also available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
