Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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455. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of funding that would be required to reduce the current teacher:student ratio of 1:23, in the Irish university sector to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 1:14. [6966/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The 2014 edition of the OECD's annual publication Education at a Glance reports that the ratio of academic staff to students in Irish higher education institutions is 1:19. The OECD average is 1:14 and the EU21 average is 1:16. This ratio, which was at the OECD average in 2008, has increased in recent years as a result of increasing student numbers and restrictions on staffing imposed under the Employment Control Framework.

While the staff - student ratio is a widely used proxy for performance of higher education institutions and systems, it is important to note that it is only a proxy. It does not reflect class size, and it does not take account of student contact hours and wider engagement which makes international comparisons difficult. However, the deterioration in the ratio and the resultant pressure this was placing on the higher education system was one of a number of factors which led to the establishment of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education. This Group is examining the long term funding sustainability of the sector and will report to me by the end of this year.

Finally, in relation to the Deputy's specific question, there isn't a linear correlation between the student - staff ratio and the level of funding in the sector. However, I have been advised by the HEA that to bring the university sector in line with the OECD average would require an additional 2,750 academic posts. The additional salary cost is dependent on grade and could range from an estimated €88 million to €165 million based on starting salaries for assistant lecturer, college lecturer and senior lecture. The following table gives a breakdown of this calculation.