Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 661: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools which have classes that are in excess of the national pupil-teacher ratio; the location of such schools; the way these schools are expected to be affected by the recent budgetary cutbacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37521/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 662: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number and location of schools at primary and second level which have pupil-teacher ratios in the classroom that are in excess of the national average pupil teacher ratios; the steps he will take to alleviate the negative impact of the recent budgetary cutbacks on these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37522/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 662 together.

Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all schools is currently only available at national level and is not disaggregated by school or any other variable. The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains information relating to class size in primary schools for the school years 2006/07 to 2008/09. The primary census for the current school year is underway and the final outcome will be made available when this process is completed. This information is not available at post-primary level.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department has published provisional information on the Department's website about teacher allocations for the 2009/10 school year. This was done as a first step at improving the level of information in the public domain about changes to the staffing allocations at both primary and post-primary level. The allocation process will not reach finality until later this year and I remain committed to publishing updated information.

The renewed Programme for Government commits the Government to no further increase in the pupil teacher ratio in primary and second level schools for the lifetime of this Government. Under the revised programme we will provide 500 teaching posts between primary and second levels over the next three years.

These posts will be allocated to the schools that are most seriously affected by the recent increase in the PTR, using objective criteria which will be agreed in advance in consultation with the education partners.

My Department proposes to structure a consultation process through meetings with the education partners in the coming weeks in accordance with the commitment to consultation as set out in the renewed Programme. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the issues raised by the Deputy pending the outcome of the consultation process.