Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for a timeline within which the Government will reduce class sizes to 19 pupils, as stated in the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36565/25]

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 primary staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025.

The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally, irrespective of location. It is an important feature of the staffing schedule that all schools are treated equally and fairly.

Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to aim to reduce the general pupil teacher ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of government and introduce targeted measures in schools with very large classes.

This will build on the progress which has been made by the previous Government. The general average of pupils to teachers in the Primary Staffing Schedule improved from 26:1 five years ago to 23:1 for the current school year; the lowest ever ratio at primary level. Teacher allocations for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools have also been improved and now stand at an average of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively. In addition, there has been a three-point reduction in the retention schedule, which has helped schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts.

Average class sizes in primary schools have improved from 24.1 to 22.5 in that time, while the ratio of pupils to teachers has improved from 15:1 to 12.8:1, through the investment we are making in schools.

I am considering how best to make further progress, as part of the annual budgetary process, in reducing the primary pupil teacher ratio in the context of Programme for Government implementation.