Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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824.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will detail for all primary schools in each of Dublin 1, Dublin 3, Dublin 7, Dublin 9 and Dublin 11, the total number of students in each area; the total number of teachers in each area; the total number of SNAs in each area; the total Exchequer funding in each; the average class size in each area; the pupil-teacher ratio in each area; the number of pupils receiving free schoolbooks in each area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33193/24]

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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825.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will detail for all post-primary schools in each of Dublin 1, Dublin 3, Dublin 7, Dublin 9 and Dublin 11, the total number of students in each area; the total number of teachers in each area; the total number of SNAs in each area; the total Exchequer funding in each; the average class size in each area; the pupil-teacher ratio in each area; the number of pupils receiving free schoolbooks in each area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33194/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 824 and 825 together.

Please see below the requested data on enrolments, average class size and free book scheme.

Please note enrolment and class data is taken from the final primary and post primary enrolment and primary class data for 2023-2024, which can be found at the link below:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/63363b-data-on-individual-schools/

In post-primary schools pupil enrolments vary by subject and so the concept of average class size does not apply. Furthermore enrolments of pupils per subject is available at a school level only so average class size per subject is not available.

With regard to the number of teachers, the Department of Education publishes details of the total number of teachers appointed to primary schools, and to Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive post primary Schools each year, and this information is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c97fbd-teacher-statistics/

My Department does not currently collate, or publish, details of appointments on a per county basis and therefore the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. It is therefore not possible to produce a pupil-teacher ratio for the areas requested.

In terms of the number of SNAs, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.

The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at, www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed.

In considering applications for SNA support for individual pupils, the NCSE take account of the pupils' needs and consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupils from its current level of resources.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource.

SNA allocations to all schools can change from year to year as children with care needs leave the school, as new children with care needs enrol in a school and as children develop more independent living skills and their care needs diminish over time.

The NCSE Appeals Process may be invoked by a parent or a school where it is considered that a child was not granted access to SNA support because the requirements outlined in Circular 0030/2014 were not complied with. Schools may also appeal a decision, where the school considers that the NCSE, in applying Department policy, has not allocated the appropriate level of SNA support to the school to meet the special educational and/or care needs of the children concerned.

Where a school has received its allocation of SNA support for 2023/24, but wishes new enrolments or assessments to be considered, which were not taken into account when the initial allocation was made, they may continue to make applications to the NCSE.

The NCSE publish SNA allocations for individual schools and counties for each school year and this information is available on their website, ncse.ie/set-hours-and-sna-allocations

My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for cases where a secretary is now paid from my Department’s payroll as per circular 36/2022.

My Department does not collate or publish exchequer funding at a school level at this time so it is not possible to provide total Exchequer funding for the areas sought.

As part of Budget 2023, I announced a major investment of over €50 million to provide free schoolbooks in recognised primary schools and special schools. More than 563,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, have benefitted from this scheme from September 2023.

In 2024 over €47 million was allocated to continue implementation of the schoolbooks scheme at primary level that provides free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks to pupils in recognised primary and special schools.

More than 555,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools will continue to benefit from this scheme. The number of pupils which funding issued in respect of County Dublin for the school year 2024/25 under the Primary Schoolbooks Scheme was 139,540.

As part of Budget 2024, I announced a major investment of over €68 million to provide free schoolbooks and core classroom resources for students enrolled in Junior Cycle enrolments in the Free Education Scheme.

More than 213,000 students enrolled in approximately 670 post-primary schools, and over 65 special schools will benefit from this scheme from September 2024. The number of pupils which funding issued in respect of County Dublin for the 2024/25 school year under the Junior Cycle Schoolbooks Scheme was 44,568.

The scope of both schemes means that funding is provided directly to schools so that schools will continue to have autonomy to choose schoolbooks and resources that meet their individual needs in line with curricular requirements. In the case of special classes in primary schools, they have autonomy to choose resources that meet the learning needs of the pupils.