Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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91. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the significant issues facing schools that have lost teachers due to the school census and having reduced numbers at the time of the census relative to 2019; and if she will ensure schools do not lose teachers, potentially undermining their ability to achieve social distancing. [30277/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am acutely aware of the issues faced by many schools in respect of teacher allocations and class sizes. Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.

Primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 26 pupils which is at its historically lowest level. I was delighted to build further on this progress by announcing a further 1 point reduction in yesterday’s budget.

The staffing schedule for the next academic year (2021/22) now stands at 1 teacher for every 25 pupils. This measure will help ensure better teacher retention in primary schools while also ensure that less pupils are required to retain or recruit a teacher.

My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools including illustrative Primary Classroom Layouts to facilitate physical distancing requirements for primary schools. Each school is also required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. This guidance is focused on the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of transmission of infection.

The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria and the Primary Staffing Appeals Board are currently accepting staffing appeals from schools. As part of the appeal process the Appeals Board will consider appeals where schools clearly demonstrate how their enrolments were negatively impacted by COVID-19.