Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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127. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she expects to be in a position to bring about a reduction in class sizes, with particular reference to locations experiencing an increase in population; if the School Building Programme needs to be augmented in order to facilitate progress in this area; if she is conscious of the need for particular efforts in this regard in schools currently having a higher than national average class size / pupil teacher ratio; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15836/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My focus in Budget 2015 was on obtaining the additional funding that was necessary to provide for demographic growth. The last Budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015.

This funding will be used to provide 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs for our schools, as well as to fund prioritised reforms, such as implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy, reform of junior cycle, and the introduction of education focussed pre-school inspections. The improvements in the Primary Staffing Schedule for small schools which I announced in February last are the only changes that I will be making to the staffing arrangements for schools for the 2015/16 school year.

The staffing arrangements for schools currently include the provision where schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds. Such posts are provisionally approved pending confirmation of actual enrolment on the following 30th September.

My Department continues to review the most up to date demographic information to ensure that any emerging school accommodation shortfall, at both primary and post primary level, is identified and met in a timely manner.

The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about further improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers.

The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.