Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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424. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the ratio of the allocation of mainstream class teachers to pupils, in tabular form for each of the years 20/21, 21/22, 22/23 and 23/24 broken down by the size of the school; the reason it is stated generally in the circular 06/2023 that the pupil teacher ratio is 23 pupils to one teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15349/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.

In Budget 2023, I ensured major investment in our schools and I have succeeded in bringing the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools for the 2023/24 school year which is the lowest ever seen at primary level. This was my third successive Budget which saw an improvement in allocation of teachers to primary schools. Budget 2021 reduced the staffing schedule to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils, while Budget 2022 reduced it further to 1 classroom teacher for every 24 pupils. A three point reduction in the retention schedule, in place since 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts.

The staffing schedules for each of the years requested by the Deputy are attached.