Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together.

Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.

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.

Prior to 2016, teachers were allocated to primary schools at a general average of 1 teacher for every 28 pupils. Budget 2016 improved this ratio by 1 point, to 27:1 and Budget 2018 further improved this ratio by 1 point, to 26:1

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.

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 Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data in relation to our schools including pupil teacher ratios and teacher numbers. 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.

Each one point improvement in the staffing schedule at primary level would cost in the region of €15.5 million per annum and each one point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio at post primary level would cost approximately €58m per annum.

My Department has in place detailed design guidelines for primary and post-primary schools which are available on my Department's web-site.

It is not possible to extract the specific historic costs of additional accommodation associated with a reduction in the pupil teacher ratio. Given the more flexible use of school accommodation at post primary level, it is expected that some level of additional staffing could be facilitated within most schools’ existing accommodation. However, specific circumstances at each school including subject choices, timetabling and enrolment numbers by year group will be relevant in the assessment of any additional accommodation requirements.

The actual cost of constructing a classroom for primary or post primary school can vary depending on a number of factors which can include, but not limited to the size and scope of the construction contract the classrooms are being constructed under, market conditions, site constraints, planning conditions, procurement method, etc. The Department's published Basic Building Costs limits apply. Based on this rate, it is expected that the construction cost of a typical primary school classroom would be in the region €233,000.00 and €179,000.00 for a post primary classroom.