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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - School Staffing and Accommodation.

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

408 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a school (details supplied) in County Wexford has not been supplied with a fifth teacher despite having the correct number of pupils; when a permanent extension will be granted to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20433/02]

The staffing of a primary school is determined by the enrolment in the school on 30 September of the previous year. The number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule and is agreed for a particular year following discussions with the education partners.

The enrolment at the school referred to by the Deputy at 30 September 2001 was 108 pupils which warrants a staffing of a teaching principal and three mainstream class teachers for the 2002-03 school year. As the agreed appointment figure for the fourth mainstream class teacher is 116 pupils, I regret that there is no basis on which I may sanction an additional post at the school in question for the 2002-03 school year.
The Deputy may be aware that I recently established an independent appeals board to adjudicate on appeals from boards of management on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. The appeals board will operate independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision will be final. A circular outlining these new procedures has recently been issued to all primary schools and is also available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
My Department has an extensive primary school building programme under way, details of which are also available on my Department's website. The application from the school in question for additional accommodation will be considered later in the year when an allocation has been made for the primary school building programme in the 2003 Estimates.
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