Vol. 442 No. 5
196 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education if it is possible to retain the 19 assistant teachers in St. Marnock's national school, Portmarnock, County Dublin for the coming school year in view of the fact that the margin of three pupils is the difference between retention and loss and this school has a history of providing a service to pupils with disabilities and children from the travelling community.
The staffing of a national school is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous year. In the case of St. Marnock's national school there were 672 pupils enrolled on 30 September 1992 which warrants a staff of principal plus 21 assistants for the 1993-94 school year. The school also has the services of a full-time remedial teacher.
There were 592 pupils enrolled in the school on 30 September 1993 which warrants a staff of principal plus 18 assistants for the 1994-95 school year. The school would have needed an enrolment of at least 595 pupils in order to retain the post of 19th assistant in 1994-95.
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 are being breached. If the school authorities feel that the school may qualify under either of these exceptions, my Department will be happy to examine the position on receipt of projected enrolment details.
