Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 November 2011
7 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify his reference to upward pressures on teacher numbers due primarily to higher retention levels at post-primary level when explaining the reasons behind cuts to part-time language support teachers to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34855/11]
View answerApplications for part-time language support at primary level relate to schools that have less than 14 eligible pupils for language support. Decisions on these applications were deferred until the autumn, having regard to the overall level of demand for full-time language support and other upward pressures on teacher numbers in the context of operating under a fixed ceiling on teacher numbers. The increased retention level of pupils at post-primary level is a significant factor in the increased demand for teacher numbers. For many years this retention level has hovered around 81% but is now closer to 85%. While increasing this retention level is a long standing goal of the Department, it does nevertheless affect our capacity to manage within the fixed ceiling on teacher numbers.
Regrettably, my Department is not, therefore, in a position to approve applications for part-time language support posts and individual primary schools were notified accordingly.
The school in question had 12 pupils enrolled who needed English language support and wanted to retain its part-time language support teacher. The reply it received from the Department was similar to the one the Minister just read with references to upward pressures on teacher numbers due to higher retention levels. Basically, the school's principal could not understand it. Can the language used in such communications be simplified? Will the school be able to retain its language support teacher?
The Donegal school in question has 183 pupils and 13 teachers including the school principal.
That works out at a pupil-teacher ratio of approximately 14 pupils per teacher, which is a good ratio by normal standards but there may be different factors involved. If there are some difficulties in the communication to which the Deputy referred he might send me a note or we can discuss it with a view to getting clarification.
