Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1478: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1223/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1479: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1224/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1480: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1225/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1481: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1226/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1482: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1227/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1483: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1228/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1484: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1229/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1485: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1230/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1486: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1231/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1487: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1232/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1488: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1233/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1489: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1234/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1490: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1235/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1491: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1236/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1492: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1237/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1493: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1238/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1494: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1239/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1495: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1240/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1496: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1241/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1497: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1242/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1498: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1243/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1499: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1244/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1500: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1245/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1501: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1246/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1502: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1247/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1503: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1248/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1504: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1249/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1505: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1250/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1506: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1251/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1507: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1252/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1508: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1253/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1509: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1254/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1510: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1255/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1511: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1256/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1512: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1257/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1513: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1258/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1514: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1259/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1515: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1260/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1516: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1261/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1478 to 1516, inclusive, together.

Information in relation to class sizes is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The details for the current school year (2006/2007) are currently being compiled by my Department and the information requested is not readily available.

As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. At the beginning of the current school year there are no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc.

Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas are getting more support than ever before to help them to make the most of their time at school. Indeed, with the thousands of extra primary teachers hired by this Government, recent years have seen the largest expansion in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. Furthermore, the Government is committed to providing even more primary teachers next year to reduce class sizes.

As the Deputy knows all primary schools are staffed on a general rule of at least one classroom teacher for every 28 children. 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 28 children in the school. Next year (2007/2008 school year) this is being reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher.

A further initiative that has been of direct benefit to primary schools has been the change in the criteria for developing schools. For the current school year the threshold for getting a developing school post was reduced specifically to help schools that are seeing large increases in enrolments each year. Over 280 such posts were sanctioned in the 2006/07 school year compared to 170 in 2005/06.

The improvements we have made in school staffing in recent years are absolutely unparalleled. But we are determined to go even further, and so the 2007 Estimates include provision for another 800 primary teachers. About 500 of these will be classroom teachers, which includes our commitment to reduce class sizes.

I assure the Deputy that we will continue to prioritise further improvements in school staffing going forward. We will also continue our focus on measures to improve the quality of education in our primary schools to ensure that increased resources lead to better outcomes for our children.