asked the Minister for Education if she will make a statement on her refusal to allocate a teaching assistant to St. Colmcille's Boys' national school, Swords, County Dublin for 1989 to 1990; and when the same school will be eligible for two extra assistants in 1990 based on its present enrolment.
Written Answers. - Swords, Dublin, School Staff.
29.
The staffing of national schools in a particular school year is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with the agreement reached between the Government and the INTO under the Programme for National Recovery. In the case of St. Colmcille's boys' national school there were 505 pupils enrolled on 30 September 1988 which warrants a staff of principal plus 14 assistants for the school year 1989-90.
The only exceptions that can be made from the agreed staffing arrangements are in the case of developing schools or where my Department's guidelines on maximum class sizes would be breached. St. Colmcille's boys' national school does not meet the criteria necessary to qualify under either exception, therefore the appointment of an additional assistant in the school is not warranted.