Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 April 2015
223. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to this Deputy's recent correspondence, if her Department will confirm the entitlement of a concession to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13677/15]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy is accessible by bridge from the mainland. It is not therefore in the same position as other island schools that are only accessible by boat or by helicopter/aeroplane. The particular staffing arrangements for island schools that are set out in the published Staffing Schedule are designed to reflect the isolated nature of an island school that is only accessible by boat or by helicopter/aeroplane and the operational and practical difficulties that this can create for the school and, in particular, the availability of teaching staff. These circumstances do not apply to the school referred to by the Deputy.
In the current school year this school has an enrolment of 58 pupils and has 3 classroom teachers (including the Teaching Principal). The number of classroom teachers is not due to change for the 2015/16 school year. The school is also the base for a shared GAM/EAL (learning/language) support post with a school on the mainland.
