Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2015
206. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the staffing figures for the retention and appointment for schools with three to four teachers, to ensure that both figures are the same; if she will confirm the number of schools that would have benefitted in 2014 and 2015 if the appointment threshold had been reduced by three to the retention threshold; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33667/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. 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 Deputy will be aware that I announced some improvements in the staffing schedule for small primary schools in February 2015. These changes were introduced to better support the sustainability of small schools and particularly those in isolated areas and were the only changes that I made to the staffing arrangements for schools for the 2015/16 school year.
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 8km from the next nearest school of the same type.
This package of measures will provide rural communities with security about the future of their small schools, recognising the essential social function which small schools can play, especially in isolated communities.
The Deputy has sought information on what the impact of these improvements would be for the 2014/15 school year if they were applicable to the last school year. The improvements came into effect from 1 September 2015. There is no scope within my Department to do the detailed analysis requested by the Deputy in relation to the 2014/15 school year given that the focus is now on the staffing and redeployment arrangements for the coming school year.
