Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 373: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to be in a position to bring the pupil-teacher ratio in all schools into line with the commitment entered into previously; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40053/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she proposes to take to bring pupil-teacher ratios here into line with best practice throughout Europe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40057/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which she proposes to tackle the need to reduce pupil-teacher ratios in the top ten primary schools which currently have the highest pupil-teacher ratios; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40059/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 373, 376 and 378 together.

Major improvements in school staffing have been made in recent years with the hiring of more than 5,000 additional primary teachers. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. The annual estimated value of the additional expenditure on these posts is over €200 million.

In 1996-97, the average class size in our primary schools was 27. It is now 24. In 1996-97 there was one teacher for every 22 children in our primary schools. Today there is one teacher for every 17 children, the lowest pupil-teacher ratio in the history of the State.

Aside from decreasing average class size, the unprecedented increase in school staffing in recent years has also greatly improved the services provided for children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas. Under the action plan for tackling disadvantage published earlier this year, there will be a reduction in class sizes of 24:1 at senior level and 20:1 at junior level in 150 primary schools serving communities with the highest concentrations of disadvantage. With more than 600 extra resource teachers put in place this term, children with special needs are getting more support than ever before. It should be acknowledged how much progress has been made in this area in recent years.

There is more to be done to reduce class sizes further. Recently I announced that I have secured sufficient funding to provide even smaller classes in our primary schools in the next school year, and the Minister for Finance has committed to a further reduction in class size in the following year.

Accordingly, over the next two years, my Department will put 500 extra teachers into our schools to reduce class size and to tackle disadvantage.

In speaking about staffing in our schools, we have consistently said that priority would be given in the first instance to children in disadvantaged schools and those with special needs. We have done this and now, in line with the Government commitment, mainstream class sizes are also being reduced.