Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 412: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of extra teachers that have been appointed in the 2007-08 school year; the degree to which this has positively impacted on pupil-teacher ratios in the classroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28759/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if pupil-teacher ratios in the classroom have actually worsened since the beginning of the 2007-08 school year when compared with the year previous; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28760/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 415: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools throughout the country which currently have pupil-teacher ratios in the classroom in excess of the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28762/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 412, 413 and 415 together.

At 30 September of the current school year there were an additional 985 teaching posts at primary level. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all primary schools is currently only available at national level and is not disaggregated by school or any other variable.

The following is the Pupil Teacher Ratio nationally since September 2002:

The Pupil Teacher Ratio for the 2007/08 school year is currently being compiled in my Department.

As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now 5,000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. By the 2006/07 school year, we had reduced the average class size in our primary schools to 24, while the pupil teacher ratio was 16.4:1, including resource teachers etc. In that year, schools were staffed on the basis of a general rule of at least one classroom teacher for every 28 children. Given that the national average was 24, many schools benefited from much more favourable staffing ratios than this.

Extra teachers were provided by the Government for the 2007/08 school year to improve primary school staffing so that schools would generally get at least one classroom teacher for every 27 children.

A further initiative in recent years 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 330 such posts have been sanctioned in the 2007/08 school year compared to 280 in 2006/07.

The improvements we have made in school staffing in recent years are absolutely unparalleled. The Government is committed to providing more teachers to our primary schools over the next five years in order to reduce class sizes. 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 414: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of submissions she has received from various schools throughout the country seeking the provision of extra teaching staff in order to reduce class sizes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28761/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 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.

Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. Under these arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30th September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn. Over 330 such posts have been sanctioned in the 2007/08 school year compared to 280 in 2006/07.

Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its time-table and subject options having regard to pupils needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department will consider applications for additional short term support i.e. curricular concessions.

An independent appeals mechanism is available to school authorities who wish to appeal the adequacy of their teacher allocation. The primary staffing appeal board and the post primary appeal committee operate independently of the Department and it's decision is final.