Dan Neville
Question:353 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Education and Science when a resource teacher will be made available to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [12069/03]
Written Answers. - School Staffing.
An application for resource teaching support was submitted to my Department by the school referred to by the Deputy for the child in question. Following a review of the application by the National Educational Psychological Service, my Department advised the school in April 2003 that the supports sought could not be sanctioned. The findings of NEPS were that the application did not comply with the requirements of Department circular 08/2002 for resource teaching support.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:354 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that Cloghane national school, County Kerry will not lose its third teacher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12070/03]
The staffing of a primary school 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 my Department and the education partners. The enrolment of the school in question has decreased from 50 pupils on 30 September 2001 to 46 pupils on 30 September 2002. This latter enrolment will entitle the school to a staffing of a principal and one mainstream class teacher for the 2003-04 school year.
As the agreed appointment figure for the second mainstream class teacher is 50 pupils, there is no basis on which my Department may sanction an additional teaching post in the school. In August 2002, I established an independent appeals board to adjudicate on appeals from boards of management on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. The appeals board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. A circular outlining the staffing schedule for the coming school year and the appeal procedures has recently issued to all primary schools. The staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2003-04 school year was considered by the appeals board on 9 April 2003. I understand that the board of management of the school was notified of the decision on 10 April 2003.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:355 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that Ventry national school, County Kerry, will not lose its fourth assistant teacher in view of the fact that it has the required number of 80 to return this teacher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12071/03]
Jackie Healy-Rae
Question:365 Mr. Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse his decision to disallow a temporary full-time post already sanctioned by his Department in September 2001 of a fourth mainstream class teacher on space grounds in Scoil Cheann Trá on condition that it has an enrolment of 73 children on 31 September 2001, which it had; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12216/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 365 together.
The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with guidelines agreed between my Department and the education partners. The school in question had an enrolment of 80 pupils on 30 September 2002, which entitles the school to a staffing of principal and two mainstream class teachers for the 2003-04 school year. The agreed appointment figure for the third mainstream class teacher is 82 pupils and consequently there is no basis on which my Department may sanction an additional teaching post in Scoil Cheann Trá.
An independent appeals board was established to adjudicate on appeals from boards of management on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. The appeals board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. A circular outlining these new procedures issued to all primary schools. The staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2003-04 school year was considered by the appeals board on 9 April 2003. I understand that the board of management of the school was notified of the decision of the appeals board on 10 April 2003.