Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 827: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department will use class size rather than pupil-teacher ratio as the measure for staffing levels in each primary school when pupil-teacher ratios are distorting as they include special needs teachers, resource teachers and administrative principals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10098/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The pupil-teacher ratio as published in my Department's annual statistical report is calculated by dividing the total enrolment in all primary schools by the total number of full-time teaching posts. The total enrolment includes all children in ordinary and special schools and the total teaching posts include administrative principals, learning support teachers and recognised teachers of pupils with special needs in ordinary primary schools as well as teachers in special schools.

The national pupil-teacher ratio is an indicator of the ratio of overall full-time teaching staff to pupils at primary level. It takes account of all teachers in a school. The pupil-teacher ratio provides a picture of all of the teaching resources available to provide service to primary school children. The improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio in recent years show the significant levels of additional teaching resources made available to primary schools.

My Department also publishes details of average class size in the annual statistical reports. This indicator includes mainstream class teachers only and refers to ordinary pupils in ordinary classes. The average class size indicator provides a picture of the size of classes at primary level. Since this indicator takes account only of mainstream classroom teachers, resource teachers and teachers other than classroom teachers at primary level are not captured by this indicator even though these are teaching resources available to pupils. These are included in the calculation of pupil-teacher ratio. While both indicators are different, they are complementary.

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 has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.44:1 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 Government policy, the position will be further improved in the future within available resources and subject to spending priorities within the education sector. Priority will be given to pupils with special needs, those from disadvantaged areas and those in junior classes.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 828: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the average class size of 25 pupils and 20 pupils in disadvantaged areas will be achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10099/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under existing schemes for tackling educational disadvantage, 47,700 pupils in 243 schools are in classes of either 15 or 20 at junior level. Pupils in senior classes in these schools are in classes of 27. The new policy framework which I will be publishing shortly will extend smaller class sizes of 20 at junior level to children in more schools, based on the results of a new survey of the levels of disadvantage in primary schools to be carried out by the Educational Research Centre, starting this month. This survey will enable schools who did not qualify the last time a survey was conducted to qualify for smaller class sizes next year.

The extra staffing to provide for more classes of 20 at junior level in disadvantaged schools and classes of 25 at senior level in the most disadvantaged schools will be put in place in the next school year. Ensuring that more children from disadvantaged areas are taught in smaller classes is a priority for me as an important step in delivering on the Government's commitments on class size in the primary school system.