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School Staffing.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2009

Tuesday, 17 February 2009

Questions (470)

Seán Ardagh

Question:

505 Deputy Seán Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Science the effect the recent budgetary adjustments have had on the teaching levels at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 12; the action taken to minimise their effects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5877/09]

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Written answers

The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be totally spared. The various impacts at school level were included in the Budget day announcements. Even with the budget measures in place there will still be a significantly increased borrowing requirement in 2009.

The staffing schedule for the 2009/2010 school year, Primary Circular 0002/2009, has been published on my Department's website at www.education.ie and my officials have written to all schools to notify them in this regard. The number of mainstream class teachers appropriate to a school for 2009/10 school year is determined by reference to the school's valid enrolment on 30 September, 2008. The schedule is a transparent and clear way of ensuring that schools are treated consistently and fairly and know where they stand.

The staffing schedule also makes provision for schools that are projecting significantly increased enrolments for September 2009 through the allocation of what are known as "developing posts". These classroom teaching posts are allocated to schools based on projected enrolments for September 2009 rather than on past enrolments for September 2008 which is the case for most schools. This allocation process for developing posts takes places during the Spring and Summer period when schools apply to the Department based on their projected enrolments for September 2009. The developing posts are allocated on a provisional basis initially and are confirmed following receipt from the school of actual enrolments in September 2009.

The staffing allocation to schools will also be impacted by any changes in the levels of support teachers such as for language support, special needs and social inclusion. The allocation process for some of these posts is currently underway. Language support posts are allocated during the Spring/Summer period on a provisional basis initially and are confirmed following receipt from the schools in September 2009 of actual enrolments of pupils requiring language support.

The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The final allocation to a school is also a function of the operation of the redeployment panels which provide for the retention of a teacher in an existing school if a new post is not available within the agreed terms of the scheme.

At this time the priority for my Department within the resources available to it is to carry out those processes in a timely manner. Diverting resources in order to create a staffing profile for the individual school as requested by the Deputy could not be justified and would in fact impede the process.

I have already put it on record that I have no difficulty in setting out for this House or for the public generally what the final impact is on the overall changes in aggregate teacher numbers in schools for the 2009/10 school year. I will set out the final position when the allocation processes have been completed.

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