Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated first and full year costs of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at primary and secondary level respectively. [40750/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2017 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 provided for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools in the 2017/18 school year.

Each 1 point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule is estimated to cost in the region of €16.5m per annum.  Each 1 point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio in post primary schools is estimated to cost in the region of €60m per annum. 

It is my intention to make further improvements to class sizes over the life of the Government. However, I recognize that there are needs across the system which have to be balanced in the decisions made in each Budget.