Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Jun 2002

Vol. 553 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

260 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the third and fourth class at Rathangan national school, County Wexford, have 37 and 36 pupils respectively, an excess of more than 20% over the guideline; the action his Department intends to take to address the education deficit which this constitutes for the pupils concerned, in terms of appointing an additional teacher or alternatively classroom assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13013/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The staffing of a national school for a particular school year is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous year. This is in accordance with an agreement on staffing entered into between the Government and the education partners. The enrolment of this school on 30 September 2001 was 237 pupils which warrants a staffing of a principal and eight mainstream class teachers for the 2002-03 school year. The organisation of classes within the school is the function of the managerial authorities of the school.

The enrolment required on 30 September 2001 to retain the ninth mainstream class teacher for the 2002-03 school year was 238. As the retention figure for the ninth mainstream class teacher was not achieved, I regret that there is no basis on which I may sanction a continuation of this post at Rathangan national school for the 2002-03 school year.