Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 July 2021
24. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education the options available to the board of a school (details supplied) to retain its fourth classroom teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34568/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe staffing schedule is an allocation mechanism that uses enrolment bands to determine the number of classroom teaching posts allocated to a school. This is a long standing arrangement for allocating teaching posts to our primary schools in a fair and equitable way based on their respective enrolment.
The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally, irrespective of location. For the 2020/21 school year at primary level it operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 26 pupils which is historically the lowest level.
Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and to support small schools.
As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule and the introduction of a three point reduction in the number of pupils required to retain a teacher.
Due to falling enrolments, the school referred to by the Deputy is to have its staffing reduced by one teacher in September. Based on the school’s projected enrolment, the average pupil teacher ratio in the school will be 22:1 in the coming year.
The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted a staffing appeal which was refused by the Appeals Board. The school has been notified of this decision. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
