Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the proposals she has to address the crisis in regard to class size in County Waterford primary schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13790/05]

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. 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.

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 17.4:1 in 2003-04. Over 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.

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.

In regard to the average class size in County Waterford, the latest data available in my Department show that in the 2003-04 school year the average class size in primary schools in Waterford city was 24.7 while in Waterford county the average was 23.8.

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the programme for Government 2002 committed the Government to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in schools; when there will be a reduction in the ratio; and the extent of such reduction. [13791/05]

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. 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.

Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level in recent years. The ratio has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.44:1 in the 2003-04 school year. In line with Government policy, my Department will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil-teacher ratio. Priority will be given to pupils with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas.