Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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958. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will urgently review the staffing allocation for the 2025/2026 school year at a school (details supplied), where the loss of a mainstream teacher will result in a merged 3rd and 4th class of 39 pupils, well above her Department’s average class ratio size of 23:1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20041/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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.

The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the March meeting of the Appeals Board. The staffing appeal was deemed ineligible as the school is not projecting sufficient enrolment to retain the teaching post.

The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). Given that the staffing schedule operates to a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils, if a school has a large class it generally also has a small class.