Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the breakdown of primary school class sizes in County Clare for the school year 2007-08 showing in each case the number of pupils in classes of 19 and under, 20 to 29, 30 to 39 and 40 plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37829/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The class size data for primary schools in County Clare for 2007/08 which the Deputy requested have been compiled in my Department and are attached.

Schools have flexibility in the way in which they assign pupils and teachers to classes and the Department does not allocate teachers to specific classes or age groups.

In any discussion of class size and classes where the number of pupils exceed the average it is important to understand how the main staffing schedule sets out to treat schools in like circumstances in a fair and consistent manner. The current allocation is based on an average of 27 pupils per teacher and the fact that schools make individual choices in assigning teachers to class groups. With over 20,000 individual classes spread across all schools throughout the country there will always be differences in individual class sizes.

It is of course the case that some schools can have class sizes of greater than 27 but this is often because of a local decision by a school to use its teaching resources in order to have smaller numbers in other classes. Indeed, very often when a particular school has a class of over thirty in a particular grade, it is because there is another class in the same school with just 20 pupils or so.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 449: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the breakdown of post-primary school class sizes in County Clare for the school years 2006-07 and 2007-08 showing in each case the number of pupils in classes of 19 and under, 20 to 29, 30 to 39 and 40 plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37830/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved by my Department on an annual basis in accordance with generally applied rules relating to recognised pupil enrolment.

It is a matter for each school management authority to organise its classes, curriculum, teaching time-table and subject options having regard to pupils' needs within the limits of its approved teacher allocation.