Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children at primary level in classes of more than 35; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12947/05]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children at primary level in classes of more than 25; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12946/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children at primary level in classes of more than 20; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12945/05]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary school children in classes of more than 30; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12936/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 79, 93 and 133 together.

The information requested is as follows and refers to ordinary classes only for the 2003-04 school year: more than 20 — 346,066; more than 25 — 233,262; more than 30 — 73,069; more than 35 — 4,499. 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.

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 number of children being taught in classes of 30 plus nationally has almost halved since 1997. The pupil teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers in the school including resource teachers, has fallen from 22.2 to one in the 1996-97 school year to 17.4 to one 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 and 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. With regard to class sizes, the commitment in the programme for Government is to reduce class sizes for the under nine year olds. The Government is committed to doing this, with priority being given in the first instance to pupils in disadvantaged areas.