Galway Bay fm newsroom - The chairperson of the GRETB has raised concerns over the Department of Education's allocation of additional teaching staff at Colaiste an Chreagain in Mountbellew.
The allocation was made following a hard fought local campaign, after an announcement by management that the school was planning to cease its secondary school operations and change to a further education and training hub.
The GRETB group applied for 2.1 additional staff to cater for the fresh intake of first year and transition year students in September, but only secured an allocation of 1.5 additional staff.
The Chairperson of the group, Loughrea area councillor Michael Moegie Maher says the school will follow through on its committment to take in first years and transition years next term.
However he says the deficit of 0.6 teaching staff will have to be found within the available resource pool of the GRETB school network.
He has concerns that this could lead to difficulties when the school faces its standard Department audit next year.
Meanwhile, at a meeting of the GRETB on Inis Mór this week, the group made a strong call for all island schools to be designated small school status by the Department.
The schools do not have their own principal or deputy principal.
GRETB Chairperson Michael Moegie Maher says the schools encounter great difficulty in getting teachers and run at a cost 40 percent above the average.
He says the situation affects three schools in Galway's island community and two in Donegal gaeltacht areas.
Councillor Maher says Galway Oireachtas members will be lobbied to secure small school status for the island schools.
