Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will bring forward any derogation for fee-charging protestant secondary schools from the two point increase in pupil teacher ratio, in view of the fact that the ultimate impact of this change will mean that increasing numbers of protestant families will not be able to send their children to the school of their ethos and choice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56452/12]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact of the teacher/pupil ratio on costs to families in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 13. [56471/12]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the impact of increasing the pupil teacher ratio in fee paying schools (details supplied) in Dublin 13. [56557/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions 210, 211 and 221 together.

The Government has protected frontline services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2013/14 school year as a result of the recent budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully protected with no overall changes to staffing levels or funding as a result of the budget.

However, at a time of severely reduced resources, priorities have to be made. In an effort to ensure fairness in the education system, the PTR in fee charging second level schools will rise by two points to 23:1 in September 2013.

A report conducted by my Department on the analysis of the tuition income of fee-charging schools will be published in the New Year. This report is expected to show that fee charging schools have considerable discretionary income and are best placed to manage with reduced public funding.

I would like to assure the Deputies that this Government recognises the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant or reformed church background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos while at the same time ensuring that funding arrangements are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

With regard to the fee-charging Protestant schools, an arrangement exists whereby funding is provided by my Department to the Secondary Education Committee (SEC), an organisation run by the churches involved in managing the Protestant secondary schools. The SEC then disburses funds to the Protestant fee-charging schools on behalf of pupils who would otherwise have difficulty with the cost of fees and who, in the absence of such financial support, would be unable to attend a second level school of a reformed church or Protestant ethos. Funding amounts to €6.5 million annually. This fund ensures that necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice.