Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

747. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of classes at primary school level with 30 pupils or above by county in tabular form. [31139/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Please find below the requested information. The data is for the 2019-20 academic year the most recent year we have data available for. We will update the table as soon as the final enrolment data for 2020-2021 is published, end of June 2021.

The figures are based on mainstream classes in mainstream schools and are collated from the relevant Class Size tables published on the DES website and can be found at the link below:

www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Data-on-Individual-Schools/

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

748. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost per annum to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in primary and post-primary schools by one point and five points, respectively. [31140/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

749. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost per annum to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools to 20:1. [31141/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

750. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated number of additional classrooms required to facilitate the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio by one point. [31142/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

751. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated number of additional classrooms required to facilitate a pupil-teacher ratio of 20:1. [31143/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 748 to 751, inclusive, together.

Teachers are currently allocated to post primary schools at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector. Each 1 point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio at post primary level is estimated to cost in the region of €56.5m per annum.

At primary level, the annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to schools. For the current school year, it operates on a general average of 26 pupils to every 1 teacher (26:1). Budget 2021 has implemented a further 1 point reduction for the 2021/22 school year so that primary schools will be allocated teaching posts on an average basis of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils. Lower thresholds apply to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools. In addition, there has been a three point reduction in the retention schedule, which will assist schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. Each one point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule would cost approximately €14.5m annually.

While each one point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule results in an approximate 300 additional teaching posts, the number of additional classrooms required would be dependent on the existing accommodation arrangements in the schools due to gain a teaching post.