Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 21 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 6

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

244 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the factors which led his Department to reduce the number of teaching hours for a school (details supplied) from the threshold level that had prevailed for the previous six years and that were deemed by his Department to be adequate; the financial savings to his Department as a result in the reduction in teaching hours to the school; the factors considered in the eventual decision to reduce the number of teaching hours allocated to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24346/03]

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

Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its teaching time table and subject options having regard to pupils needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department will consider applications for additional short-term support.

In addition, an independent appeals mechanism is available to school authorities which wish to appeal the adequacy of any such allocations from my Department. The school in question applied for a curricular concession allocation and was granted 2.36 whole-time equivalent teacher posts. The school was notified of this allocation in April 2003 and advised that in the event of its not being satisfied with this allocation, it could appeal in writing before 6 May 2003 to the independent appeals committee. The school did not avail of the independent appeals mechanism.

The total staffing allocation to the school for the current school year is 14.42 whole-time equivalent teacher posts and three special needs assistants. This allocation includes one disadvantaged area post and 0.5 of a whole-time equivalent teacher post in respect of home-school-community-liaison. This level of allocation leaves the school with an actual pupil teacher ratio of 7.8:1. Having regard to the number of pupils enrolled at the school, I am satisfied that the level of teaching resources made available represents an adequate response which is fully in line with allocations generally in the second level system.

All available teaching resources are being deployed in the second level system for the 2003-04 school year. While the level of allocation to individual schools will vary from year to year, having regard to changes in pupil numbers and programme delivery, the overall number of whole-time equivalent teacher posts being made available to the second level system for the current school year represents an increase of approximately 300 posts on the 2002-03 position.