Feighan welcomes additional teaching posts for small schools in Roscommon

Fine Gael TD for Roscommon/South Leitrim, Frank Feighan, has welcomed the news that Cloverhill NS and Carrick NS, Curraghboy in Roscommon will each receive an additional teacher following successful applications.

“I am delighted these two small primary schools will gain an extra teacher when the new term commences in September. Their respective appeals were deemed successful by the Primary Staffing Appeals Board which met recently to review the cases of many schools around the country.

“Carrick NS in Curraghboy will now become a 3-teacher school and Cloverhill NS will increase its staffing to two following the addition of these additional teaching posts.

“I am pleased that the cases put forward by both schools were successfully taken on board on the basis of projected increases in enrolments for the coming school year. The approval of these two mainstream classroom posts is great news for teachers, parents and the local communities who no doubt had been waiting anxiously for good news.

“I also understand that there is a further meeting scheduled for the Primary Staffing Appeals Board, so any school who can provide evidence they should be granted additional teaching posts, under any of the published criteria, can submit appeals.

“This Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric and they will continue to be. There is no policy of forcibly closing small schools and ultimately, it is up to each school to decide how it can best serve the children in their community.

“The staffing arrangements for all primary schools for the coming school year, 2014/15 are available on the Department’s website: http://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0007_2014.pdf.”