Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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13. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has taken any steps to reduce the student-to-teacher ratio in primary and secondary schools across the country; the average student-to-teacher ratios in primary and secondary schools, respectively, in the State in each of the past ten years to date in 2022, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34036/22]

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 supporting small schools and I am delighted that significant progress has been made.

In Budget 2022, I ensured major investment in our primary and post primary schools and brought the teacher allocation ratio in all primary schools to the lowest ever seen at primary level.  This was my second successive Budget which saw an improvement in allocation of teachers to primary schools. This significantly increased investment reflects my commitment and that of Government to support the educational success of learners and to provide a quality inclusive school system with improved learning outcomes for all.

Budget 2021, at primary level, saw the annual staffing schedule which determines the allocation of teachers to schools reduced to an average ratio of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils. 

Budget 2022 has delivered a further 1 point reduction for the 2022/23 school year so that primary schools will be allocated teaching posts on an average basis of 1 classroom teacher for every 24 pupils in September. 

Lower thresholds apply to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools giving a class size of 19:1 in junior schools, 21:1 in vertical schools (schools with junior and senior classes) and 23:1 in senior schools. The DEIS programme serves over 180,000 students annually and this will increase to 240,000 from September.

In the 2021/22 school year there were in excess of 1,500 additional teaching posts in our primary system when compared to the 2019/20 school year.

At post primary level, teachers are currently allocated at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector. 

The latest figures in relation to pupil teacher ratio shows an improved ratio of teachers to pupils from 15.7:1 to 14.5:1 at primary level and 13.6 to 12.4 at post-primary level when comparing the 2010/11 school year to the 2020/21 school year.  

There are over 12,000 more teachers employed in our schools during the same period. The Deputy will also be aware that we have seen very significant expansion in the number of SNA's in our schools, now standing at over 19.000.