Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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985. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that staff shortages have impacted pupils' ability to access transition year in schools and students are being asked instead to proceed to fifth year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20514/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Transition Year is a valuable programme for students and under the redevelopment of Senior Cycle programme, it is my ambition that in the future every student who wishes to avail of Transition Year will have the opportunity to do so.

This year, over 60,000 students are enrolled in TY programmes representing a record level of participation. Since 2018, the number of students choosing Transition year has increased by more than 14,000. The Programme for Government commits to promoting the expansion of the Transition Year programme and addressing the barriers faced by some students in accessing it.

My officials and I are currently working to identify barriers to participation and understand their causes and this work will inform my approach to making Transition Year accessible to all. Officials in my Department are working to make this a reality by assessing the level of unmet demand for access to Transition Year, identifying the causes, and determining how we can help schools close those gaps.

In late 2024, my Department conducted a survey with all post-primary schools to help identify the barriers to participation and assess the level of unmet demand for access to Transition Year. My officials are analysing the data collected from schools as we continue to explore how to achieve universal access for students who wish to avail of the valuable learning experiences that TY can provide.

Currently, the Transition Year programme is supported by the Transition Year Grant, which is paid on a per capita basis each year in addition to regular capitation payments to all post-primary schools in the free scheme. As part of the capitation package in Budget 2024, the rate of the Transition Year Grant was restored to the pre-2011 level of €100 per student in post-primary schools.

Transition Year is also supported through the payment of teachers’ salaries and the provision of capital funding to schools. The number of students in Transition Year is taken into account when the teaching allocation available to a school is determined, in line with the relevant circulars including Circulars0008/2024, 0009/2024 and 0010/2024.

Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on my Department’s website.

A proportion of posts allocated to post-primary schools are determined on the basis of ratios of recognised pupils to teachers for the various approved programmes including Transition Year. The pupil teacher ratio (PTR) applicable in respect of Transition Year pupils is equal to the PTR applicable in respect of pupils enrolled in the Junior and Leaving Certificate programmes.

The deployment of teaching staff in schools, the range of subjects and programmes offered are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.