Vol. 445 No. 9
236 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education if she will have arrangements made to review the case of St. Fintan's national school, Sutton, Dublin, 13, where a teacher has been let go since the commencement of this school year necessitating disruptive reorganisation of classes, many of which are over the recommended maximum numbers. [1374/94]
The staffing of a national school is determined by the enrolment on 30 September of the previous year. In the case of St. Fintan's national school, there were 390 pupils enrolled on 30 September 1993, which warrants a staff of principal plus 12 assistants for the 1994-95 school year. The school also has the service of a full-time remedial teacher.
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.
The school authorities applied to my Department to appoint a 12th assistant on the basis that its projected enrolment of 434 pupils for September 1994 met the criteria laid down for designation as a developing school.
My Department sanctioned this additional post on a provisional basis, subject to the condition that a minimum enrolment of 420 be achieved, which was the enrolment required under the criteria for designation as a developing school. The enrolment in the school in September 1994 was 411, nine pupils short of that laid down in my Department's letter of sanction.
A strict policy is operated in relation to teaching posts sanctioned on a provisional basis. Such posts are withdrawn if the conditions specified by my Department are not met. The post was withdrawn with effect from 1 October 1994.
In relation to concerns regarding a breach of my Department's maximum class size guidelines, my Department has examinmed the position. I am happy that it is possible to accommodate the total enrolment in the school within the maxima laid down and the warranted staffing.
