Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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150. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of implementing one-point reductions in average class size at primary level; and his estimates for reducing the average class size to 23 pupils for the 2017-18 school year. [23186/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level.

Budget 2016 provides for a one point adjustment to the staffing allocation to primary schools, which will be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. This will see the primary staffing schedule operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. Lower thresholds apply for DEIS Band 1 schools, ranging from 20:1 to 24:1 depending on the type of school.

Each 1 point adjustment to the staffing schedule is estimated to cost between 250-300 additional posts, at a cost of circa. €15m-€18m.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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151. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of implementing one-point reductions in the average class size at post-primary level. [23187/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on my Department's website.

Each one point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio (ptr) at post-primary level is estimated to cost in the order of 1000 teaching posts (i.e. €63m).