Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

Even when all of the phased increases are implemented, the threshold for a second teacher at 20 pupils - that is 1:10 if one evens it out - will still be significantly lower than the minimum of 28 pupils that was required for the appointment of the second teacher in rural schools prior to the late 1990s. The extremely favourable staffing provision for small schools was put in place when resources were plentiful and at a time of demographic dividend when enrolments were falling. This is no longer possible given our budgetary constraints and rapidly rising school population which, in itself, is a good thing.

I know that no school likes to lose a teacher and that the INTO and teachers like small classes. However, it is wrong for a desire to preserve the status quo in teacher numbers and class sizes to result in anxiety in local communities over the future of their schools. Let me say it loud and clear again to Deputy McConalogue and the other Deputies opposite that this measure is not about closing small schools. When the staffing schedule operated on much higher levels in the 1990s, we did not have a plethora of small schools closing.

There are situations where schools might of their own choosing decide to amalgamate, as many have done in the past with good outcomes. I would like to encourage communities to have conversations about whether this is possible or, indeed, appropriate. The changes announced in the budget are being phased in over three years to allow for those measured and timely conversations. The Department will be available to engage with all schools and communities which wish to make proposals about potential amalgamations or clustering arrangements between schools.

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