School Staff

91. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that taking a teacher away from a school (details supplied) will result in a 50% increase in class sizes from 22 students to 33 students; if she is aware of concerns of parents about the ensuing detrimental impacts on the education and well-being of their children; if she is aware of the impact this will have on autistic students; if she is aware this goes against Government commitments to reduce class sizes; and if she will address this to ensure all current teaching posts are retained. [69978/26]

Three weeks ago, I raised with the Minister of State the case of St. Patrick's Junior National School in Skerries. At the time, I told him that it was going to go from having three classes of 22 to having two classes of 33. I am not trying to put words in his mouth but I think he agreed that 33 students is not ideal. That is as far as he would go; I would say it is an absolute, bloody disgrace. It is not feasible that there would be two classes of 33. It is not fair on the students. It is particularly unfair on the students who have additional needs. It is not fair on the school community and the staff who work there. That teacher is due to be lost tomorrow. I have raised the matter with the Minister of State and my constituency colleague Deputy Robert O'Donoghue, who is here, has raised it with him, as has Deputy Boland. We are at one on this. There is one day left to fix this.

I thank Deputy O'Reilly very much for the question. We discussed this across the Chamber a number of weeks ago as well. The Government is investing a record amount of money in education through budget 2027. This record level of investment includes funding of €646 million to place education and youth services on a more sustainable footing. The Department's staffing schedule is a long-standing feature of the primary school staffing allocation system and is designed to ensure fairness, transparency and consistency in the allocation of mainstream teachers across all primary schools. The key factor in determining the level of mainstream teachers allocated to individual primary schools is the school's recognised enrolment as of 30 September of the previous year. The Minister, Deputy Naughton, is aware of the concerns expressed by parents and the school community in relation to staffing arrangements at St Patrick's Junior National School in Skerries, and the importance of maintaining appropriate supports for all pupils, including autistic children and those with additional educational needs. Class sizes in schools are affected by a variety of factors, including enrolment fluctuations and available accommodation. Schools are best placed to determine the appropriate numbers in any class, so the configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers is done at the local school level. The Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class should be kept as low as possible, taking all relevant factors into account. School authorities should also, where possible, use the autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller classes at the junior class level. In recognition of the anticipated growth, the school successfully applied under the projected enrolment process and was granted provisional sanction for an additional temporary mainstream teacher for the 2026-27 school year. The school is aware that the enrolment of at least 272 pupils is required to retain the projected enrolment post on a permanent basis.

I will come back to the other point in my follow-up reply.

I raised this with the Minister of State three weeks ago and then, following that, I corresponded with the Minister for education's office. I got correspondence back on 8 October asking for an agenda and a list of attendees at the meeting, which we provided. We have not had any contact since, but we have tried to make contact. I think there were some telephone calls yesterday. Will consideration be given to the retention of the teacher pending the appeal process? The total number of students in St Patrick's Junior National School is 267, which is above the 258 threshold. I appreciate the advice on how to manage the classes, but the simple fact is that once that teacher is lost, there will be no choice and no other way to spread the resources. The class sizes will be two classes of 33. That is not acceptable. The average is 21.9. The Minister of State talks about the Government wanting to reduce class sizes. That is very good, but how are the teaching staff, the SNAs and the school community expected to manage with 33 children in each of the classrooms? It is not very fair, so I am asking whether the teacher can be kept on pending the result of the appeal and the meeting with the Minister's office.

I would like to back my constituency colleague Deputy O'Reilly. We stood on the picket lines with teachers last week and it struck me that the refrain over and over again was pressure, pressure, pressure. Pressure is coming from every direction. St. Patrick's school is at critical risk of losing a teacher. When we are counting numbers, the reality behind it is that children in larger class sizes are having their education affected. The teachers, who already have serious demands from the curriculum alone, are under immense pressure. Tomorrow is the start of mid-term, and before the children, staff and parents of St. Patrick's Junior National School in Skerries head off on their break, they need reassurance. I urge the Minister of State to please not leave this school community going into mid-term wondering whether it will have a teacher it needs and whether the teacher will return. We are asking to protect the teacher, support the school, put the needs of children first and retain the teacher pending the appeals process.

As is the case for all schools approved under the projected enrolment process, the additional post is allocated on a provisional temporary basis pending confirmation that the required enrolment threshold has been met. In the 2025-26 school year, the enrolment decreased from 281 pupils to 249, a reduction of 32. The school has returned an enrolment of 267 pupils. I think the Topical Issue regarding this was on 28 or 29 September. We were waiting for the enrolment data to come in, if memory serves me correctly. Unfortunately, that falls short of the figure to retain the projected enrolment post provisionally sanctioned. However, St. Patrick's Junior National School has submitted an appeal to the primary staffing appeals board to retain this post. The appeals board is independent of the Department. I understand that the appeal is being heard these days. It is important that we acknowledge the process and leave the independence of the process.

I ask that the teacher be retained pending the outcome of the appeal. The Minister of State said the appeal would be heard soon. That is a good thing because the school is within the standard retention threshold of 258. As the Minister of State said, the number is 267, and 267 obviously being a higher number than 258 puts it within that threshold. I have just this minute received a response from the Minister's office to say that she cannot meet until after the appeal. I ask that the Minister of State address the direct request that Deputy O'Donoghue and I made, and I am sure Deputy Boland would echo, which is for the retention of the teacher pending the outcome of the appeal. It will be very disruptive for the pupils. All I ask is that the teacher be retained pending the outcome of the appeal and that the Minister of State step in and stop a class size increasing from the average, 22, up to 33. That is too many. It is not fair on the school community and it is most definitely not fair on the students.

I take the points that have been made. The long-established system of allocating teachers in the education system has been in place for many years. I understand that the appeal is being heard these days. The independent process of the appeal is important. It is also important to have the integrity of that appeal process not just for here, but for across the education system. It is right and proper that we wait for the outcome of the appeal. I assure the Deputy that the appeal is being heard these days. That is my information. We must wait until-----

Is that today?

As I understand it, it is being held this week. I do not have the exact date, so I do not know if that means yesterday, today or tomorrow. It is important that we wait for the outcome of that appeal before commenting further.