Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be in a position to maintain optimum pupil teacher ratios in the classroom throughout the current economic situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43375/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The context for any discussion about class sizes is that my Department, like all other Government Departments, is operating within a budgetary programme that is designed to return the Government finances to a sustainable basis. My focus is on ensuring we have school places and teachers for all the additional pupils entering our schools each year. There is no scope to give any consideration to the provision of additional teachers in order to reduce class sizes.

Classroom teachers are currently allocated under the published Staffing Schedule on the basis of a general average of 1 teacher for every 28 pupils with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that variations in class sizes should be kept to the minimum.