Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 873: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she proposes to address the issue of the high pupil-teacher ratio, with particular reference to bringing Ireland into a more favourable position in this regard in the European league; the way in which she expects schools in County Kildare, such as a school (details supplied), to be affected in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10295/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 983: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if extra teaching staff will be allocated to a school (details supplied) in County Kildare based on the class size and number of pupils attending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11179/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 873 and 983 together.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. 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 of greater than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use the teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes.

In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and nine mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 244 pupils at 30 September 2003. In addition, the school has one learning support teacher, one special class teacher, one resource teacher and one shared temporary language support teacher. Hence, the pupil-teacher ratio in the schools is 19:1, not including the shared post. My Department will finalise the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year shortly and thereafter notify school boards of management.

According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school, the enrolment on 30 September 2004 was 243 pupils. The staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.

Significant improvements have been made to the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level, which has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.44:1 in the 2003-04 school year. In line with Government policy, my Department will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil-teacher ratio 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.

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 874: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the pupil-teacher ratio of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; the supports gained by that school in the form of resource, remedial and classroom assistants over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on its needs into the future to reduce class sizes. [10296/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and eight mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 217 pupils at 30 September 2003.

In addition, the school has one resource teacher and the services of a learning support teacher. The school also has two full-time special needs assistants and a part-time special needs assistant. The information regarding the supports gained by the school concerned over the past five years is not readily available in my Department but such supports would have been sanctioned based on the assessed needs of individual pupils.

My Department will finalise the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year shortly and thereafter notify school boards of management. According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management, the enrolment on 30 September 2004 in the school was 217 pupils. The staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.

Significant improvements have been made to the pupil