Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1259: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding her plans for the improvement of pupil-teacher ratios in all second level schools in the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25585/05]

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. The ratio has fallen from 16:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 13.6:1 in 2003-04.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1260: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding and her plans for the improvement of pupil-teacher ratios in all primary level schools in the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25586/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1261: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the pupil-teacher ratios in other EU jurisdictions and the way in which this compares to Ireland's current pupil-teacher ratios; her plans to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25587/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1260 and 1261 together.

The most recent figure available for the pupil-teacher ratio in our primary schools is 17.1:1 in the 2004-05 school year — projected. The most recent figures available for pupil-teacher ratios at primary level in other EU member states refer to the 2002-03 school year and are as follows:

The Deputy should note that the figure for Denmark includes pupils attending lower second level and that the figure for the Netherlands includes pupils attending pre-primary schools. Figures are not available for Estonia, Austria and Portugal.

Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio, PTR, in recent years. The PTR, which includes all the teachers including resource teachers, has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.1:1 in 2004-05 — projected.

Over 4,500 additional teachers have been employed in our primary schools since 1997. In allocating teaching posts, due regard has been given to the commitments of the Government to reduce class size, tackle educational disadvantage and provide additional resources for pupils with special educational needs. The additional teaching posts created since 1997 have been deployed to address all these priorities.

There are now approximately 5,000 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares to under 1,500 in 1998. Indeed, one out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs.

The Deputy will be aware of the new action plan for educational inclusion, "Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools", which I launched recently. This action plan will result in the reduction in class sizes in schools serving the most disadvantaged communities to 24 at senior level and 20 at junior level.

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, those from disadvantaged areas and those in junior classes.