Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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200. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the pupil-teacher ratio at primary and second level throughout County Kildare is a matter of concern; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to improve the situation in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28674/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.

Budget 2016 made provision for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools in the current school year.  These posts provided for an improvement in the staffing schedules at primary and post primary levels, enhanced the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their teaching time, improved the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level and provided additional resource posts to meet special education needs.

At primary level a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule has been implemented for the 2016/17 school year. The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. Lower thresholds apply for DEIS Band 1 schools.

At post primary level, the 2016 budget provided an improvement of 0.3 in PTR allocation from September 2016 for the purpose of enhancing guidance provision.  It brings the basis of allocation from 18.25:1 to 17.25:1 in DEIS schools and from 19:1 to 18.7:1 in other schools for the 2016/17 school year.

The commitments in the Programme for Government, including the pupil-teacher ratio, will be considered in the context of the budgetary process.