Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 513: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average national school class size in Kildare over the past five years; the average national school class size in the Republic of Ireland over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18345/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the years 2001/02-2004/05 is as follows:

In 2001/02, the average class size in Kildare was 27.2, and nationally was 24.2.

In 2002/03, the average class size in Kildare was 27.2, and nationally was 24.

In 2003/04, the average class size in Kildare was 26.8, and nationally was 23.9.

In 2004/05, the average class size in Kildare was 26.8, and nationally was 23.9.

For comparison purposes, the Deputy may be interested to know that in 1996/97, the average class size in Kildare was 28.7, while nationally it was 26.6.

Information on class size is supplied to my Department on an Annual Return form by each primary school. The forms are then processed in the Department so that national data can be updated for the relevant school year. For the current school year (2005/2006), all schools were requested to have forms returned by 31st October 2005. To date, some schools have not returned their forms and others have not responded to queries made regarding errors in their returns. In all cases the schools have been contacted with a view to having the matter finalised.

In the circumstances, I am unable at this time to supply the information requested by the Deputy in respect of the current school year for the National figure or to give a specific indication as to when it will be available. However, I can assure the Deputy that officials within my Department are pursuing the outstanding schools as a matter of urgency. The average class size in the current school year in Kildare is 26.7.

Since 2002, this Government has hired record numbers of extra teachers. Indeed, next September there will be 4000 more teachers in our primary schools than there were in 1997. Today there is one teacher for every 17 children, the lowest pupil teacher ratio in the history of the State. The majority of these extra teachers have rightly been targeted at providing support for children with special needs, those from disadvantaged areas, and those with English language needs. They have made an immeasurable difference to the lives of these children, while also providing vital backup for their classroom teachers.

Having now addressed these priority areas, and continuing to address them going forward, we are now also taking action on class size, by providing the extra teachers needed to reduce the staffing schedule by a point in each of the next two school years.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. At present the general rule is that the schedule provides at least one classroom teacher for every 29 pupils in the school. Of course, schools with only one or two teachers have much lower staffing ratios than that — with two teachers for just 12 pupils in some cases and so on — but the general rule is that there is at least one classroom teacher for every 29 children in the school. Next year this is being reduced to 28 children per classroom teacher and in 2007/2008 it will be reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher.

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.