Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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91. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been taken to continue to increase the pupil teacher ratio in fee paying schools until it reaches 28:1 being the option included in the McCarthy report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19346/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I published a report entitled "Fee Charging Schools - Analysis of Fee Income" in respect of the discretionary income available to the 55 fee charging schools in the country.I commissioned the report in question in order to inform future budgetary decisions in relation to the allocation of teachers to schools in particular. I do not propose at this stage to anticipate any specific decisions the Government might take in respect of the next budget. It is important to look at the context in which exchequer funding to fee charging schools must be approached. Ireland faces further budgets where a reduction in public expenditure across all areas of public provision, including education, will be necessary. Teacher allocation to all primary and second level schools will remain in focus throughout the period of fiscal adjustment because it represents a significant proportion of my Department's overall budget. The extent to which teaching posts can continue to be allocated to fee charging schools must remain under consideration in that context.