Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2004
204 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education and Science if consideration will be given to the large amount of social, affordable and private housing being built adjacent to St. Joseph’s national school, East Wall Road, Dublin 3, in order to allow the school to retain its current staff levels and ensure that the high standard of education at same is maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13488/04]
View answerThe 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 sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule and is finalised for a particular year following discussions with the education partners.
The mainstream staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the current school year is a principal and eight mainstream class teachers based on the enrolment of 220 pupils on 30 September 2002. The school also has the services of a learning support teacher, a resource teacher, two posts to cater for educational disadvantage and a shared home school liaison teacher.
Based on an enrolment of 172 pupils on 30 September 2003, the mainstream staffing for the school year 2004-05 will be a principal and five mainstream class teachers. The school also fulfils the criterion for appointment of an administrative principal based on staffing of a principal plus nine teachers when all posts are counted. In such instances a permanent teacher may be appointed to replace the principal. This will facilitate a staffing of principal and six mainstream class teachers and the net loss of posts as a consequence of applying the staffing schedule is two mainstream posts. There are no plans to adjust the additional posts allocated to the school under various support schemes.
