The institution referred to by the Deputy incorporates two schools, a recognised post-primary school and a private primary school. The post-primary school qualifies for payment of teacher salaries in the normal way. Up to 1994 it was technically permissible to operate a four year junior cycle in post-primary schools although in practice very few schools did this. Subsequently the junior cycle was restricted to three years on a mandatory basis. In this instance the school continued a four year junior cycle post 1994, in the mistaken belief that it had permission to do so, and thus its pupil numbers for purposes of teacher allocation were overstated. This came to light following examination of the school's return for 1997 and the teacher allocation was regularised from 1998.
The reduction in the school's quota of grant aided posts brought about by the restriction on the duration of the junior cycle did not affect the entitlement of permanent teachers employed in 1994 to continue in their posts for so long as they fulfilled the terms of their contracts.
