Written answers
Thursday, 17 July 2025
Department of Education and Skills
School Accommodation
Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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312. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school classrooms during the 2024-2025 school year of 30 pupils or more; the location of each nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40297/25]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Please find attached requested data. 2023-2024 is the most recent year we have final published class data for on the department website. We will revert to the Deputy with data for academic year 2024-2025 as soon as it has been published.
In previous budgets, reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools was prioritised which has brought the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. A three point reduction in the retention schedule assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. Teacher allocations for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools were also improved, which now stand at an average of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively. 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.
For additional context, in academic year 2023-2024 there was a total of 23,818 mainstream classes. 22,181 of these were of 29 pupils or less and there were 1,637 classes of 30 pupils or more, or 6.9% of the total number mainstream classes.
The configuration of classes is ultimately a matter for individual schools, though the Department recommends schools prioritise smaller class sizes for Junior/Senior Infants. Additional analysis by the Department has shown that schools with a large class have a higher proportion of children in smaller classes than similar sized schools with no large class; meaning sometimes schools opt to create one large class in order to facilitate creating more smaller classes.
This figures provided are based on mainstream classes in mainstream primary schools and are collated from the relevant Class Size tables published on the department website and can be found at the link below: www.gov.ie/en/collection/class-size-information-at-individual-primary-school-level/.
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