Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 March 2012
160 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the staffing allocation for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; his views that staffing levels are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12282/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra174 Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide further information on the application requirements for small schools in line to lose a teacher as a result of budget 2012 but which now have a projected increased enrolment for 2012 and wish to avail of the newly opened appeal to the primary staffing appeals board; in particular; the reason for requesting that a school place the teacher in line to lose the post on a panel for potential redeployment prior to a decision being reached by the appeals board; if he will provide a guarantee that the same teacher will be returned to the school following a successful appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12411/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra179 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the budget cuts in relation to small schools and allow schools (details supplied) in County Kerry, which recently underwent a major refurbishment and extension investment retain its two teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12476/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra181 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the effects his amended scheme for the allocation of teachers will have on a school (details supplied) in County Louth; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the September 2011 returns for this school would have qualified the community for a fourth teacher but this is now under threat from his new schedule; if he will accept an appeal from this school community on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12511/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra183 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will identify the best options for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal that will submit appeal forms for staffing arrangements, Primary Circular 0007/2012, p. 3; if he will outline the type of evidence that the appeals procedure requires for proof of projected enrolments, that is, completed enrolment forms and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12589/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 160, 174, 179, 181 and 183 together.
My Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the 73 small schools that are losing a classroom post as a result of the budget measure. It is worth noting that there are almost 1,200 small schools with 86 pupils or less and no small school will be forced to close as a result of this decision.
Such schools will not lose their classroom post if they are projecting increased enrolments in September 2012 that would be sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term. The detailed arrangements are set out in the Department's Staffing Circular 0007/2012 including the relevant thresholds to retain a classroom teaching post at Appendix A. It is a matter for individual schools to provide information relevant to their projected increase in enrolment to the Staffing Appeal Board.
The closing date for submission of appeals for the April meeting of the Staffing Appeal Board is 23 March, 2012. Schools must submit to my Department by 16 March, 2012 a redeployment form for any teacher surplus to requirements who is eligible to be placed on the redeployment panel. I can assure the Deputies that it is intended that the Appeal Board meeting will take place prior to the release of the main redeployment panel in mid to late April, 2012 thus allowing for any impact of the Board's decision on redeployment panels to be effected. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
