John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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457. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason she has not committed to extending the planned class size reductions in DEIS band one junior and vertical schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36138/20]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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458. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional resources such as staffing will be allocated to all DEIS band one schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36139/20]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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468. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) did not benefit from a decision to extend class size reductions to DEIS band one schools despite being a DEIS band one school. [36242/20]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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500. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider extending the class size reductions planned for DEIS band one senior schools to include DEIS band one junior schools and DEIS band one vertical schools in a context of evidence that class size matters most for younger children; the way in which the currently planned increased investment in DEIS schools is to be transparently allocated; if she will consider allocating an increase in resources and staffing to all DEIS band one schools in the context of the shortages exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36507/20]

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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507. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if junior DEIS band one schools will benefit from a reduction in the pupil teacher ratio announced in budget 2021; the position regarding the planned full-year allocation of €5 million in 2022 and allocation of same; the position regarding additional resources and staffing and the allocation of same to all DEIS band one schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36646/20]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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545. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will extend proposals to reduce class sizes in DEIS senior schools to include DEIS band one junior and vertical schools such as a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36942/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 457, 458, 468, 500, 507 and 545 together.

Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1.  While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools catering for senior classes only. Most DEIS Urban Band 1 schools operate vertical  schools with a ratio of 22:1.

As an initial step in addressing this, I have focused on a reduction in the Senior DEIS Urban Band 1 primary schools and therefore there will be a one point reduction in their staffing schedule from 24:1 to 23:1.

The total budget allocation of additional funding of €2million in 2021, with a full year allocation of €5million in 2022 provides for further supports to be allocated as part of the DEIS programme to those schools catering for the highest concentrations of educational disadvantage.  My Department continues to support those schools most in need and is considering options on how best to achieve this.