Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 296: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will confirm that a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6W has lost a teacher in recent months; the action she has taken to improve pupil teacher ratio numbers in this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33625/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. The staffing schedule for the 2006/07 school year was outlined in Primary Circular 23/06 which was issued to all primary schools.

The staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2005/2006 school year was a principal and 16 mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 443 pupils on 30 September 2004. The school also had 3 learning support/resource posts (2 on permanent basis and 1 temporary) and the services of one shared permanent resource teacher for travellers based in the school.

The staffing for the current year is a principal and 15 mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 415 pupils on 30th September 2005. The school also has 3 permanent learning support/resource posts, the services of a shared permanent resource teacher and a shared permanent resource teacher for travellers both based in the school.

All primary schools were staffed on a general rule of at least one classroom teacher for every 29 children for the 2005/06 school year. 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. This year (2006/07) this figure has been reduced to 28 children and next year (2007/2008 school year) this is being reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher.

With the major expansion in teacher numbers provided by this Government in recent years there are now 4,000 more teachers in our primary schools than there were in 2002. Indeed, there are 1,000 more teachers in September 2006 than there were in September 2005.

This Government has shown a clear determination to improve the staffing in our schools and we will continue to prioritise this issue going forward.