Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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759. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the pupil-teacher ratio in DEIS schools by one point; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31151/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In the 2020/21 school year there are 3,108 mainstream primary schools of which 689 are participating in the DEIS Programme.

Each 1 point adjustment to the overall primary staffing schedule is estimated to cost in the region of €4.8m in the first year and €14.5m for the full year.

Under Budget 2021 I announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. On the 1st March 2021, I announced a package of measures to tackle educational disadvantage. This announcement provided for a one point improvement to the staffing schedule for all Urban Band 1 schools. This included a reduction in the staffing schedule from 22:1 to 21:1 for Urban Band 1 vertical schools and 20:1 to 19:1 for Urban Band 1 junior schools, which was in addition to previously announced one-point reduction for Senior Urban Band 1 schools from 24:1 to 23:1.

DEIS remains this Department’s main policy to tackle educational disadvantage. My Department will spend over €150 million on the programme this year.