Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 November 2014
119. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it is the intention of her Department to ensure that a school (details supplied) in County Wexford remains open as a two teacher national school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45412/14]
View answerAs part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools was gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. An appeals process is available to affected schools in the event that they can show that their projected enrolments are sufficient to allow them to retain their classroom teacher in the longer term. The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. However, this must be achieved in the context that all public servants are being asked to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources and teachers in small schools cannot be immune from this requirement.
The school referred to by the Deputy had an enrolment of 20 pupils at 30 September 2013 and is therefore a 2-teacher school in the current 2014/15 school year.
Kilnamanagh NS has returned an enrolment of 18 pupils at 30 September, 2014 in the Annual Census Return to the Department. If the school projects an enrolment of 20 pupils or above for 30 September, 2015 it will remain as a two teacher school.
