Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2019
243. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional teaching positions which would be required in primary schools to restore the appointment figures for the third and fourth mainstream teacher to the level they were at in 2010, that is, 49 and 81. [23512/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2012 increased the appointment and retention ratios for small schools, i.e. schools with four classroom teachers or fewer.
Since 2015, measures have been introduced to improve the staffing of these schools which has seen improvements in the appointment and retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and more favourable enrolment thresholds for one teacher schools situated 8km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and/or language of instruction.
Budget 2017 announced two adjustments in relation to one teacher schools. Where the school is the sole primary school on an island the school will be able to appoint a second teacher. In relation to single teacher schools generally with an enrolment of 15 or more pupils the school can apply to the staffing appeal board for a second post where the single teacher has children across 6 or more class groups.
Small schools have also benefitted from the 1 point improvement to the primary staffing schedule for all schools implemented in 2016 and again in 2018. For the current school year, the staffing schedule at Primary level operates on a general average of 26 pupils to every 1 teacher (26:1) which is historically the lowest ever allocation ratio at primary level.
In addition, the staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria, including a specific appeal measure for small schools, to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board.
The estimated cost of restoring the staffing schedule for small schools to pre-2012 levels would be approximately €3.5 million.
