Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will explain the decision to increase the class size in further education courses from 16:1 to 17:1; the reason this was not announced in budget 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44332/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Budget 2009 required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. Decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. The regression in the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) in the Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) sector from 16:1 to 17:1 was taken on the same basis as the regression in the PTR in the Post-Primary Sector from 18:1 to 19:1.

Teacher allocations for both the Post-Primary and the PLC sector are made on the Post-Primary system. The identified savings of 200 teachers in the 2009/2010 school year are based on the regression in the PTR across both the Post-Primary and the PLC sector.

The bases for the allocation of teachers in Youthreach, the Vocational Training Opportunity Scheme and Senior Traveller Training Centres have not changed.