Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - School Staffing.

Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment. It concerns the number of teachers in Scoil Ceann Trá in Ventry, County Kerry, and the shocking and sudden way in which the fourth teacher at the school was withdrawn for the forthcoming year. I am anxious that the Minister answer a number of important questions. I hope he does not have a prepared speech because he does not know the questions I will ask.

Scoil Ceann Trá in Ventry is a Gaeltacht school which caters for children from multicultural backgrounds in multistream classes where teaching is through the medium of Irish. The teachers in the school are a particularly dedicated and hard-working group of people. However, they as well as the pupils and their parents have been treated appallingly by the Department of Education and Science in recent months. I will outline the timetable of events in this case.

In 2000, the board of management at the three-teacher school in Ceann Trá was advised by the Department's inspector to apply for a fourth teacher because of the chronic overcrowding at the school. In 2001, the fourth teacher was sanctioned on a temporary basis by the Department on condition that 73 pupils be enrolled in September 2002. Enrolment in September 2002 was 80 and it has remained above that number since. The enrolment for this September is 83.

Last March, the board of management at Scoil Ceann Trá was informed that the fourth teaching post would be suppressed from 31 August 2003. That was a shock for the parents and teachers. I cannot explain the decision and I am hoping the Minister can. Given the number of students in Ceann Trá and the fact that it will increase, why is the Department reducing the number of teachers? This has not been adequately explained and I call on the Minister to justify this disgraceful decision. As one of the parents pointed out to me a few days ago, the teacher was appointed when there were 73 pupils but she is being removed when there are 83.

Appeals to the Department of Education and Science were turned down. Frustration was so great that parents were recently forced to withdraw their children from the school for a day of protest. However, they still await answers from the Minister. They will travel to Dublin tomorrow in the hope that they can meet the Minister and put forward their case. They firmly believe their case did not get a hearing. If it had, they would have retained the fourth teacher.

Does the Minister agree that the retention figure for pupils in gaelscoileanna is 76? If this school were located 12 miles down the road and outside the Gaeltacht area, this appointment would not be an issue. The other outlandish story told to the board of management was that it would first have to solve the school accommodation problem and that it should apply to the Department for better accommodation. The issue of the fourth teacher would then be addressed. I have never encountered such ludicrous excuses. How long will it take to complete building work in the school? Does this mean the pupils might be waiting years to sort out the teaching appointment, given that it will take that long to address the accommodation situation?

There is no problem with the accommodation in the school. It could do with another room but it is not vital. The school has four classrooms and the teachers are willing to deal with the situation. I am seeking a full and frank explanation from the Minister for this fiasco and the shoddy way in which the matter was handled by the Department. I also urge the Minister for Education and Science to meet immediately with the board of management, the parents and the teachers to sort out this sorry mess.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Callely)

I am glad to have the opportunity to outline the Department of Education and Science's position regarding this issue. The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous year. The number of mainstream posts is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is finalised for a particular school year following discussions with the education partners. The staffing schedule is set out in a circular which issues from the Department of Education and Science to all primary school boards of management. Accordingly, all boards are aware of the staffing position for their school in any school year. The staffing schedule for the coming school year, 2003-04, is outlined in the Department's circular 9/03, which issued to all primary schools in February 2003 and is also available on the Department's website.

The allocation of additional teaching posts in recent years for children with special needs and improvements in the staffing schedule together with a decline in enrolments has helped to ensure that the overall pupil teacher ratio in primary schools has improved substantially.

Mr. Howlin

What about this school?

Mr. Callely

This includes a decrease in the overall maximum class size in primary schools by reference to the staffing schedule from 35 in the 1995-96 school year to 29 in the 2002-03 school year. In the 2001-02 school year, the school mentioned by the Deputy was allocated an additional permanent teaching post on the basis of 73 pupils on roll as a result of an administrative error in the Department. However, as the post had already been sanctioned the school was allowed retain it for the 2001-02 school year.

Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin

It is no wonder the Minister of State is smiling.

Mr. Callely

The school had an enrolment of 80 pupils on 30 September 2002. This entitled the school to a staffing of a principal plus two teachers for the coming school year. The school was allowed to retain the additional teaching post, which was allocated in the 2001-02 school year, on the basis of space problems in the school.

Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin

There is no problem with space.

Mr. Callely

Under the rules for national schools, 15 sq. ft. of floor space should be provided for each pupil. In the past, schools were allowed apply for an additional teaching post under this criterion, space grounds. However, for the 2002-03 school year, an administrative decision was taken that where schools had accommodation difficulties or lack of space—

Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin

That is a cop out. There is no problem with accommodation.

Mr. Callely

—application should be made in the first instance to the Department of Education and Science's planning and building unit to address accommodation needs rather than sanctioning a teaching post which a school may not be in a position to accommodate.

Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin

There is no problem with accommodation.

Mr. Callely

Consequently, the sanction of teaching posts on space grounds was withdrawn.

The school is seeking the appointment of the third mainstream class teacher on the basis that it expects to have an enrolment of 83 in September 2003. If this enrolment is achieved and if there is no change to the staffing schedule, the school will be entitled to the additional post in September 2004. It is not open to the Department to sanction an additional post in advance of the next school year and based on an estimated level of need.

The school submitted an appeal to the staffing appeals board for the allocation of an additional teacher under the criterion of exceptional accommodation difficulties. The appeals board considered the application on 9 April 2003 and the appeal was rejected. The school authorities were notified of this decision on 10 April 2003. The independent appeals board on mainstream staffing allocations was established in August 2002 and commenced operation at the beginning of the 2002-03 school year. The purpose of the board is to allow for the independent consideration of appeals, under certain criteria, against the mainstream staffing schedule as issued to schools. The appeals board allows for equitable and transparent treatment of all primary schools and its decision is final. It is not open to the Minister for Education and Science or his Department to interfere in this process. I hope my response is helpful.

Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin

Does the Minister of State know anything? That is waffle. It is a disgraceful response. Has he visited the school? Will he meet the delegation tomorrow?

Mr. Callely

The Deputy should let me know and I will see what I can arrange.