Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

494. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current and five-year trend in average primary class size and pupil teacher ratio, by local authority area, and by DEIS status; the number of classes with 30 or more pupils; the estimated teacher accommodation and current expenditure required to reduce the national average by one point and two points in 2026, with options to prioritise largest classes first; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51879/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 level ever seen 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 22.2 during the same period.

Each one point reduction in the staffing schedule at primary level for DEIS and non-DEIS schools requires between 350 - 400 additional teaching posts, at a cost of approximate cost between €26.7 - €30.5 million per annum. The salary costings will rise in line with the Public Sector Pay Agreement 2024-2026.

The estimated one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at primary level is circa €25 to €35 million. This estimated cost is based on certain assumptions regarding the number of new teaching posts generated and available accommodation capacity.

The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data in relation to our schools, including information on pupil teacher ratio and the number of classes in each individual school.

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.

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.