Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 April 2012
77 Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the pupil-teacher ratio for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20718/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra79 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a resource teaching post will be allocated to a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20757/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 79 together.
The staffing arrangements for the 2012-13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on my Department's website. As part of the reforms to the teacher allocation process existing posts are being used to put in place a network of over 2,500 full-time resource posts in close to 1,700 base schools throughout the country. These posts will be allocated on a permanent basis and the teachers in them will undertake NCSE approved (low incidence) resource hours in the base schools or in neighbouring schools. This approach builds on the interim arrangements that operated in 2011 but in a more structured and transparent manner.
All schools have now received their resource teaching allocations for the current school year, based on the number of valid applications for resource teaching support received by the NCSE to 25th November, 2011, and taking into account my Departments Employment Control Framework obligations which limits the number of overall resource teaching posts which may be allocated to schools. Applications for resource teaching hours received after 25th November, 2011, will be processed by the NCSE in the context of the 2012-13 school year applications process. In the interim, schools should support pupils for whom new applications are being made from their existing resource teaching allocations, until revised allocations are made for the September 2012 school year. Where a pupil meets the criteria for Resource Teaching support, following diagnosis or enrolment to a school which does not have any existing allocation of resource teaching support, the NCSE may make an allocation for such pupils from the small pool of remaining posts which have been reserved for such emergencies or eventualities.
All schools have been asked to make applications to the NCSE for resource teaching support for the 2012-13 school year by 16th March, 2012. Schools will subsequently be advised by the NCSE of their allocation for the 2012-13 school year, based on the number of valid applications received. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule, Circular 0007/2012.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board met last week. A summary outcome of the appeals is now published on my Department's website. Individual schools are being notified this week of the outcome of their appeals. My Department's focus is on notifying schools of the outcome of their appeals and to implement the staffing arrangements for the coming school year. The final staffing position for all schools will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and all appeals to the Staffing Appeals Board will have been considered.
78 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a submission made by a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, relative to staffing for the 2012-13 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20755/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Primary Staffing Appeals Board met last week. A total of 367 schools submitted appeals to the Appeals Board. These appeals were considered in accordance with the appeals criteria set out in Department Staffing Circular 0007/2012. 205 schools had their appeals upheld by the Staffing Appeals Board. A summary outcome of the appeals is now published on my Department's website. Individual schools are being notified this week of the outcome of their appeals.
My Department's focus is on notifying schools of the outcome of their appeals and to implement the staffing arrangements for the coming school year. The final staffing position for all schools will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and all appeals to the Staffing Appeals Board will have been considered.
