Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2012
146. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills if fee-paying, non-resident, and non-national primary and secondary boarding school pupils from outside of the EU are included in calculating pupil teacher ratios for the purpose of allocating teachers paid by his Department. [50883/12]
View answerMy Department calculates the staffing and grant allocations for primary and post primary schools on the basis of the total number of 'recognised' pupils enrolled in the school on 30 September of the previous year. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. In accordance with Circular 0057/2011, pupils in post primary schools who are from outside of the Republic of Ireland on short term placement and in attendance on 30 September are not recognised pupils for the purpose of calculating staffing and grant allocations. A 'short term placement' refers to any enrolment which is for a period of less than a full school year.
The issue of pupils from abroad studying in Irish schools on a short-term placement mainly arises at post primary level due to the age profile of the children concerned.
