Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 468: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the second level school in County Kildare which holds the highest pupil-teacher ratio; her plans to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13433/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio at post-primary level in recent years. At post-primary level, the pupil-teacher ratio has been reduced from 16:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 13.6:1 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 and those from disadvantaged areas. The information requested by the Deputy about the second level school in County Kildare which holds the highest pupil-teacher ratio is not readily available in my Department.