Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 479: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will be making a significant reduction in primary school class sizes this year to achieve the targets as outlined in the programme for Government 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4820/05]

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made on the commitment in the programme for Government to bring pupil teacher ratios under 20:1 for children under nine years old; the further steps she proposes to take to achieve this objective within the Government's term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4821/05]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 487: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her strategy and timeframe to fulfil the Government's promise in relation to reducing class size for children under nine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4829/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 479, 480 and 487 together.

Significant improvements have been made in the reduction in primary school class sizes in recent years. The average class size at primary level is now 23.9, down from 26.6 in 1996-97. The pupil-teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers in the school, including resource teachers, has fallen from 22.2 to one in the 1996-97 school year to 17.44 to one in 2003-04. More than 4,000 additional teachers have been employed in our primary schools since 1997. These additional teaching posts have been used to reduce class sizes, to tackle educational disadvantage and to provide additional resources for children with special needs. Significantly smaller class sizes have been introduced in disadvantaged schools involved in the Giving Children an Even Break-Breaking the Cycle programme, with approximately 47,700 pupils in 243 participating schools availing of reduced class sizes of either 15 or 20 pupils per class. In line with the programme for Government commitment, class sizes for the under-nines will continue to be reduced further.