Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 144: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the serious concern expressed at the recent INTO conference at existing class sizes; if she will take steps to reduce maximum class sizes to 25:1 in mainstream classes, 20:1 in disadvantaged schools and 15:1 in schools in which there is chronic disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13000/05]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 147: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that average primary class size here is now the second largest in the EU; the steps she intends to take to deal with this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13002/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 147 together.

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 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, 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.

The new policy framework for tackling educational disadvantage that I will publish shortly will provide for a new standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and will put in place a new integrated programme of supports that will bring together and build upon existing policy interventions and initiatives for schools and school communities with a concentrated level of disadvantage.