Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The pupil-teacher ratio has not been changed in the budget. What the Deputy is referring to is a situation of legacy posts in a number of schools. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, is very well aware that some schools will be particularly impacted by the withdrawal of legacy disadvantaged posts. For that reason, he met with a group of school principals on Tuesday in order to hear their concerns directly about the impact of this measure on their schools. He has confirmed that a number of posts will be made available for alleviation measures for the schools most affected by the changes set out in the budget announcement.

The Minister has undertaken, as part of the existing alleviation measures, to ensure that DEIS band one junior schools will be placed on a staffing schedule based on an average of one teacher for 20 pupils. This will enable them to continue to have smaller class sizes for the youngest children starting school. Thirty-two schools that have legacy posts which provide for one teacher for every 15 pupils in junior classes only will now have a staffing schedule that operates on the basis of an average of one teacher per 18 junior pupils. The special position of DEIS schools will also be recognised in an adjustment to the general allocation model which is used to allocate learning and language support teaching posts to schools.

All schools will be notified in January 2012, three months earlier than normal, of their staffing entitlements under the new arrangement, including any alleviation measures that may apply. This will allow schools to plan for the school year beginning in September next year. The removal of the legacy posts, which will be managed as sensitively as possible given current constraints, means the resources available for DEIS schools can be spread evenly so that all children in these schools are treated equally and equitably. The Government's protection of disadvantaged schools is underlined by the maintenance of €13 million in enhanced funding for DEIS schools and €2 million in school book funding for those schools. All of these areas have been protected from reductions in expenditure for 2012. In addition, €26 million is being provided for the home-school community liaison scheme.

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