Liam Aylward
Question:259 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Science if the staffing of a primary school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be reviewed. [15608/05]
View answerWednesday, 11 May 2005
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Written answers
The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, agreed between my Department and the education partners.
In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and eight mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 209 pupils at 30 September 2003. In addition, the school has the services of a learning support teacher.
It is expected that the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year will issue to all national schools this week.
According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school, the enrolment on 30 September 2004 was 204 pupils. The staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.
As outlined in primary circular 19/02, 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 my Department and its decision is final. Appeals must be submitted to primary payments section, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, on the standard application form, clearly stating the criterion under which the appeal is being made, after the schedule for the 2005-06 school year has issued.