School Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 March 2015

Thursday, 12 March 2015

Questions (238)

Brendan Smith

Question:

238. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure there will be no reduction of the staffing complement of a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; if she will further ensure that all the relevant issues outlined in recent correspondence from the school to her Department pertaining to the distance of this school to the next nearest primary school and the remote location of the school are taken into account in any decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11003/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie. The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one-teacher schools. An appeals process is also available to small schools. Details of the appeals criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements. The first meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board will be held later this month. Schools which have submitted an appeal will be informed of the decision of the Board by the end of March, 2015. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.