Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 444: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been achieved since a commitment (details supplied) was made in the programme for Government 2002; when more teachers and extra learning support teachers will be appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11958/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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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, which includes all the teachers in the school, including resource teachers, 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, tackle educational disadvantage and 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, 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. There are 1,531 learning support posts in primary schools nationwide. The Deputy may be aware of the proposed new system for resource teacher allocation which involves a general allocation for all primary schools to cater for pupils with the higher incidence special educational needs of borderline mild and mild general learning disability and specific learning disability. This system also applies to those with learning support needs who function at or below the tenth percentile on a standardised test of reading and-or mathematics.

I am conscious of the difficulties which could arise in relation to the proposed model for children in small and rural schools if it is implemented as proposed. Accordingly, my Department is reviewing the proposal to ensure that it provides an automatic response for pupils with common higher incidence special educational needs. The review involves consultation with educational interests, including the National Council for Special Education. The revised procedure for providing a general allocation of resource hours to schools will be announced in the coming weeks in time to be implemented for the next school year.