Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2004
228 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will allow some flexibility in the system so that the Salesians’ primary school, Fernbank, Limerick, can retain its teacher numbers in view of the fact that it lost a teacher in 2003 and is likely to lose a teacher again in 2004 despite the fact that pupil numbers are very near the cut-off point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13674/04]
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, roll No. 17671S, for the current school year is a principal and nine mainstream class teachers based on the enrolment of 256 pupils on 30 September 2002. Based on enrolment on 30 September 2003 of 236 pupils the mainstream staffing for the coming school year, 2004-05, will be a principal and eight mainstream class teachers. There is no basis on which I can allow the retention of a mainstream teaching post for the next school year.
It is open to the board of management of a primary school to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeals board which was established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application date for appeal were issued recently to all primary schools.
