Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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171. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the teacher to pupil ratios applied in 2011 to 2024; the number proposed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45878/24]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total allocation to her Department for the years 2011 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45879/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.

Budget 2025 provides for an unprecedented €11.8 billion investment in education and schools, an increase of some 9 per cent on the same figure in Budget 2024.

Currently there are almost 88,000 teaching posts allocated across the primary and post-primary school system. This represents an increase of over 10,000 teachers when compared with the 2019/20 school year.

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.

Since I became Minister, I have prioritised reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools. I reduced the allocation by one point in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and it now stands at an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. A three point reduction in the retention schedule, which I introduced in 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. I also improved teacher allocations for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools which now stand at an average of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively.

The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data in relation to our schools. The latest statistics available are for the 2023/24 school year. The 2023/24 educational statistical report shows that the average pupil teacher ratio at primary level last year was 12.8:1, while the average class size was 22.5. These ratios, brought about by recent budget improvements, are the lowest averages across the last 20 years.