Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 353: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of the INTO in regard to staffing at primary schools; her views on whether a reduction in class size is long overdue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6844/05]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 362: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will address the problem of large classes in primary schools by sanctioning extra teachers to schools in which classes are unacceptably large, in view of the increasing number of graduating teachers each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6920/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 362 together.

The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes greater than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes.

The Deputy should note that significant improvements have been made in this area 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, covering all the teachers in the school, including resource teachers, fell from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.44:1 in 2003-04. Over 4,000 additional teachers have been employed in our primary schools since 1997. Those 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 be reduced still further, with priority given to those in disadvantaged schools.