Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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277. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to be in a position to maintain a reasonable pupil-teacher ratio in all schools throughout County Kildare; if his attention has been brought to particular areas under pressure in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2918/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Statistics section of my Department's website contains information relating to pupil teacher ratio (PTR) at primary and second level. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all schools is only available at national level and not disaggregated by county or any other variable. The most recent statistics are for the 2012/13 school year. The national average class size is 24.7 pupils. However, with over 20,800 classes in over 3,100 primary schools throughout the country there will always be variations in class sizes at individual school level. The Government has protected frontline services in schools in the recent budget and there will be no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2014/15 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.

Teacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Staffing arrangements at primary and post primary level for the 2014/15 school year will be published on the Department website shortly.

The allocation processes at both primary and post primary level also include an appeals mechanism under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The Appeal Boards operate independently of the Department and their decisions are final.

The final staffing position for all schools at primary and post primary level will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and any appeals to the Staffing Appeal Boards will have been considered.