Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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413. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if any flexibility can be given to a school (details supplied) when it comes to student-teacher ratio; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49841/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.

Primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 24 pupils which is at its historically lowest level. This will be improved by one point for September 2023, as set out in Budget 2023. The reduced retention rate introduced in 2021 will also remain.

There has been no reduction in the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy in the current school year.

Staffing arrangements setting out the reduced enrolment thresholds for the 2023/24 school year will be published early next year. At that stage, schools will be able to establish their staffing.

The staffing process also contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board, including a specific measure aimed at small schools.