Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional teachers required to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level from 26:1 to 23:1. [31170/20]

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

As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a further 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule.

Primary schools in the current school year are provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 26 pupils which is historically the lowest level the staffing schedule has operated at. The recent Budget 2021 announcement continues to build on this progress and for the 2021/22 school year the staffing schedule will be on the basis of 1 teacher to 25 pupils.

The staffing schedule which now stands at a new historical low of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils will help ensure better teacher retention in primary schools while also ensuring that one less pupil is required to retain or recruit a teacher.

Each one point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule requires approximately 300 posts.