Jim Higgins
Ceist:160 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she will sanction an additional teacher for Kilfian National School, Kincon, Ballina, County Mayo for September 1991.
Written Answers. - Kilfian (County Mayo) School.
As the Deputy will be aware, there is an agreement between the Government and the INTO regarding the staffing of national schools. The staffing for a particular year is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous year.
This school had an enrolment of 63 pupils on 30 December 1990. The authorised staffing of the school for the 1991-92 school year warranted by that enrolment is principal and one assistant.
Under existing arrangements negotiated under the auspices of the Central Review Committee, school authorities, in particular the principal teacher, are responsible for arranging the organisation of the school so as to ensure that no class group exceeds the following guidelines set down by my Department.
39 (in the case of a single-grade classgroup).
38 (in the case of a class-group with two consecutive grades).
35 (in the case of a multi-grade class-group).
If Kilfian National School has more than 70 pupils validly enrolled in September 1991, my Department will consider an application from the board of management for an additional teacher at that time.