Written answers

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Department of Education and Skills

School Staffing

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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289. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which discussion has taken place with the various school authorities likely to be affected by the loss of one or more teachers in September next; the extent if any to which it has been possible to identify or achieve a satisfactory resolution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3130/13]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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290. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent, if any, to which he has identified the possibility of the loss of teachers throughout the primary sector in the current year; if he expects to be in a position to address any such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3131/13]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 290 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 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. When account is taken of additional posts for demographics at primary and second level there is an estimated net increase of up to 900 posts on overall teacher numbers for the 2013/14 school year compared to the current 2012/13 school year.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he and or his Department has studied variations in class sizes throughout the country; if particular regions are likely to be more negatively affected than others in the current year by measures arising from Budgetary constraints in the wake of agreements entered into by his predecessor; if he proposes any particular ameliorating measures in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3133/13]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for the allocation of classroom teachers to all primary schools. It operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department publishes annual statistics on class size data for each school. The most recent statistics are for the 2011/12 school year. The national average class size is 24.4 pupils. However, with over 20,600 classes in over 3,100 primary schools throughout the country there will always be variations in class sizes at individual school level. My Department's guidance to local school management is that such variations should be kept to the minimum.

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