Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are Departmental guidelines in relation to the length of classes at second level (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53999/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department requires post-primary lessons to be a minimum of 40 minutes. This is laid out in Circular 59/2021, which states

"To facilitate this learning and the implementation of good formative assessment practices, a minimum class period of 40 minutes is required. Certain subjects require double class periods (2 x 40 minutes) during the school week. Schools must ensure that class periods of less than 40 minutes are no longer timetabled.

Some schools may find the use of longer class periods of up to 60 minutes (rather than 40 minutes) more suited to the learning needs of their students and the subjects they study, or alternatively a combination of class periods of 40 minutes and longer class periods of up to 60 minutes."

Each school has the autonomy to design their timetable to ensure minimum time is provided for subjects and programmes. Issues concerning one-hour lessons should be raised with the board of management of the school.

There is support available for teachers in relation to planning lessons through JCT and for school leaders in their role from the Centre of School Leadership through mentoring and coaching.