John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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152. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the impact of changes to pupil teacher ratios in terms of classroom numbers and job losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2683/13]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he has quantified the extent of the possible deterioration of pupil teacher ratios at primary and second level or in further education in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3115/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 274 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.

The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The staffing arrangements for the 2013/14 school year at post primary level have just recently been published and the arrangements at primary level will be published shortly.

In respect of further education, while it would have been preferable not to have to make any changes, bringing the pupil teacher ratio for PLC from 17:1 into line with that of free second level schools at 19:1, ensures that our limited resources are rightly focussed on the children in our education system. The change will reduce the overall number of PLC teaching posts by 200 and may lead to some reduction in subject choices for students but not approved places. CEOs of VECs and school principals have until next September to plan how best to deal with this change so that they can continue to deliver programmes which meet the needs of students and employers.