Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2020
200. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a special provision will be made in view of planned teacher cuts to ensure that small rural schools will retain a minimum of two teachers not counting special needs or other staff to ensure the safety of children is not compromised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10679/20]
View answerThe 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.
Budget 2020 has provided for improved teacher staffing levels for small schools. This measure will see a more favourable pupil teacher ratio in small schools from September 2020. This improved schedule will apply in two, three and four teacher schools and ensure one less pupil is required to retain/recruit a teacher.
This builds on measures in previous budgets which has seen improvements in the appointment and retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and more favourable enrolment thresholds for one teacher schools situated 8km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and/or language of instruction.
In addition, the Department provides an ancillary grant top-up, where required, to one teacher schools to ensure that there is a second adult in the school for the duration of the school day.
