Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2012
137. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Skerries Educate Together, County Dublin, was informed in the last two weeks of the loss of a temporary EAL post which will result in a newly appointed permanent teacher being made redundant, despite meticulous adherence to recruitment rules by the school. [51265/12]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts to schools, which is available on the Department website, includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment. Additional temporary EAL (language) support posts are provided, as necessary, to schools that have high concentrations of pupils that require language support in the 2012/13 school. The EAL allocations are made on the basis of appeals by a school to the Staffing Appeals Board.
The school referred to by the Deputy was approved for 3 permanent developing school posts and 1 temporary EAL support post, subject to achieving projected enrolments on 30 September, 2012.
The school achieved sufficient enrolment to retain 2 of the developing posts. The third developing post and the EAL post were suppressed. It is open to schools to submit an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board under certain criteria. The school submitted an appeal to the October meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal was refused. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
Following the most recent NCSE allocations the resource hours of the school have increased and it has been approved for a fixed term resource post. The surplus permanent teacher in the school will be redeployed into this post.
