Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reducing the effective pupil-teacher ratio in non-DEIS schools to 18:1, with a comparable reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio in DEIS schools and no change to the staffing of fee charging schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40880/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

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

The pupil teacher ratio in all Free Scheme post primary schools is 19:1 in the 2017/2018 school year. Each 1 point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio in these schools is estimated to cost in the region of €60m per annum.