Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way he will address the pupil-teacher ratio in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30708/16]

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 over the lifetime of the Government. Budget 2016 provided for a 1 point improvement to the primary staffing schedule which was implemented in the current school year.

Budget 2017 sets out the resources available for schools for the 2017/18 school year. This Budget represents the start of a major reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade. The budget provides for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year.

The Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) is determined by the overall number of posts and enrolments as of the 30th September of the previous year. This cannot be determined until the enrolment data from each schools is confirmed.   

There is no change in relation to the staffing schedule of 27:1 that will apply to primary schools for the 2017/18 school year. The staffing schedule for post primary will be adjusted to 19:1 as the allocation for guidance will be provided for separately. The Guidance allocation will be the equivalent of 0.4:1 in the staffing schedule i.e. circa 400 posts.

Further details will as usual be communicated to schools in January next as part of the annual teacher allocation process.