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. 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. These improvements particularly recognise the challenges faced by very small schools that are more than 8 km from the next nearest school of the same type. These improvements in the Staffing Schedule for small schools are the only changes that I am making to the staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year.
Since becoming Minister, each of the education partners that I have met have indicated their own set of priorities. In the school sector these priorities include school leadership, pay restoration, reductions in pupil-teacher ratios, increases to capitation, and the restoration of ex-quota guidance counsellors in schools. Outside of the schools sector, the list of demands includes funding of third level, investment in early years and investment in technology. It is not, and never will be, possible to satisfy all of the demands of the education system at one time. Hence the need to identify priorities for consideration as part of future budgets and as our economy recovers.
