Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by 1 point at primary level. [24127/24]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by 1 point at second level. [24128/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 64 together.

At primary level, teachers are allocated to schools at an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. DEIS Urban Band 1 schools receive an average allocation of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively.

Each one point improvement in the staffing schedule at primary level for DEIS and non-DEIS schools requires between 350-400 additional teaching posts, at a cost of between €25 million and €29 million. The average cost of a primary teacher is €72,090. The estimated one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at primary level is circa €25-€35 million. This estimated cost is based on certain assumptions regarding the number of new teaching posts generated and available accommodation capacity.

Teachers are currently allocated to post primary schools at a ratio of 19:1 in the free educations system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector. Each 1 point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio at post primary level would require approximately 1200 posts, at a cost of circa €85.5 million per annum. The average cost of a post-primary teacher is €70,140. The estimated one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at post-primary level is circa €60-€75 million. This estimated cost is based on certain assumptions regarding the number of new teaching posts generated and available accommodation capacity.