Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the timescale and the way in which she proposes to respond to the disturbing facts uncovered in the survey recently carried out by the Irish National Teachers Organisation which showed that there are 55 primary classes in south Tipperary of 30 or more and that 25% of all south Tipperary primary pupils are in classes of more than 30; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12746/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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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.

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 26.5 in 1996. 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 programmes, with approximately 47,700 pupils in 243 participating schools availing of reduced class sizes of either 15 or 20 pupils per class.

Other improvements in school staffing in recent years include the following: a reduction in the appointment and retention figure for the first mainstream class teacher to 12 pupils; the appointment of administrative principals to ordinary schools where there are nine or more teachers, including ex quota posts; a reduction in the enrolment figures required for the appointment of administrative principals to ordinary schools and Gaelscoileanna; the allocation of teaching posts to schools where 14 or more pupils with significant English language deficits are identified.

With regard to the average class size in south Tipperary, the latest data available in my Department show that in the 2003-04 school year the average class size in primary schools in Tipperary South was 23. Only 14% of pupils in south Tipperary were being taught in classes of more than 30, down from 40% of all pupils in the area in 1996-97. South Tipperary had one of the smallest proportions of primary pupils being taught in classes of more than 30 in the country.

This improvement is a reflection of the significant increases in staffing that have been provided to our primary schools by this Government. The number of children being taught in classes of more than 30 nationally has almost halved since 1997. In line with Government policy, my Department will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil teacher ratio in our schools. Priority will be given to pupils with special needs and to those from disadvantaged areas.