asked the Minister for Education if she has received representations from Our Lady of Loreto boys' national school, Tallaght, County Dublin, regarding the drastic reduction in teacher numbers at the school and the serious consequences to the fabric of education there as a result; and if she will make arrangements to improve this situation in accordance with the representations made.
Written Answers. - Tallaght (Dublin) School.
180.
Representations have been received in respect of this school. The position is that the staffing of a national school is regulated by the number of pupils enrolled. There has been a considerable decline in enrolments at the school in question in recent years resulting in a reduction in the staffing levels.
In order to retain the current staffing an average enrolment of 465 is required. The average for the September quarter was 439 only. In the circumstances it would not be open to me to allow any additional teaching assistance, apart from the special class teacher and the remedial teacher which have already been sanctioned, for this school.