Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate that, as the Deputy has graciously acknowledged, we are reducing the pupil-teacher ratio. This will be at an historical low, 25:1, when pupils return to school in September. It is a point consistently missed that we have reduced by three the number of students required for a school to hold on to a teacher. Again, that was a bold, brave and positive measure in respect of the overall number of staff available in a school at any given time. I again reiterate that, for every 25 pupils, one teacher is provided. That is a staffing level of one teacher to 25 students. That is what the ratio will be in September, which is positive. I am committed to incrementally reducing the pupil-teacher ratio further every year, within budgetary constraints. The Deputy specifically alluded to very large classes. With regard to staffing appeals, appeals can be made where exceptional circumstances pertain with regard to the number of pupils in a particular class or the size of the classroom, as I alluded to earlier. I advise schools to make appeals in such exceptional cases.

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