Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on increasing class sizes at primary level and second level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11014/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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While difficult choices had to be made to identify savings across my Department's budget, the Government has tried to protect front line services in 2012.The Government has protected the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level, prioritised targeted support for the most disadvantaged schools and maintained the overall number of resource teachers and SNAs to support children with special needs.

Until now, a specific resource was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. In future, schools must meet their guidance requirements from within the overall resource provided by that normal staffing schedule. Individually schools can continue to make provision for guidance and counselling. Decisions on how this will be done will be taken at school level in the best interests of students and to ensure the best use of resources available. In this way, the main teacher allocation can be maintained at 19:1 for schools generally, while schools will have discretion to balance what they allocate for guidance against the competing demands of providing subject choice. The change that has been announced gives schools greater autonomy in how they allocate staff resources to best meet the needs of their students.

All 195 second-level school in DEIS will be given targeted support by a more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1. This is a 0.75 point reduction compared to the existing PTR of 19:1 that applies in non fee-paying second-level schools.

At a time of great strain in our public finances, we have to ensure that the very valuable but limited resources available for the education system are used in the best way possible. I am confident school management and teachers will continue to work together to meet the needs of the students in their care.