John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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249. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school classes that have 30 or more students for the 2017-2018 academic year and the 2016-2017 academic year respectively, by county. [39599/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to class sizes at primary level. The most recent published information relates to the 2016/2017 school year.

Statistics in relation to the current school year will be published in 2018 when the data has been compiled.

The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.