I can confirm that correspondence was received in relation to the staffing in the school referred to by the Deputy.
The mainstream staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule for the 2006/07 school year is outlined in Primary Circular 0023/2006 which was issued to all primary schools.
Based on an enrolment of 224 pupils on the 30th September 2005, as submitted by the Board of Management of the school in question, the staffing warranted for the 2006/2007 school year is a Principal and 8 mainstream class teachers.
Within the terms of the current staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year.
A developing school is defined as a school where the enrolment on 30 September of one year is projected to exceed the enrolment on 30 September of the previous year by a specified minimum numerical increase and by having an excess of 5 pupils above the required appointment figure.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school has secured a developing school post for the 2006/2007 school year based on the enrolment of 256 pupils as submitted by the Board of Management of the school on the 30th September 2006.
The school also has the services of 1 Permanent DAS teacher, 3 Temporary Language Support teachers, 1 Permanent Learning Support/ Resource teacher and 7.5 part-time hours of resource teaching support under the General Allocation Scheme.
The school is included in DEIS Urban Band 2 which entitles it to additional supports, including additional funding, access to home/school/liaison services and the schools meals programmes and access to a range of professional development supports.