asked the Minister for Education the expected savings to the Exchequer as a result of the disimprovement of the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools; and if she will set out the calculations producing the savings figure.
Written Answers. - Pupil-Teacher Ratio.
126.
It is estimated that the revisions in the schedules governing the appointment and retention of staff in national schools will result in a saving of £10 million in the cost of 1988 of national teachers' salaries and a saving of £27.4 million per annum thereafter. These figures reflect the savings in salary only and do not take into account the cost of awards payable under the terms of the voluntary redundancy — early retirement scheme for teachers for which I am not in a position to give costings at this stage.
This estimate is based on a combination of assumptions and calculations regarding the reduction in teacher numbers which will be achieved through voluntary redundancy, early retirement and redeployment measures, and the various salaries and allowances payable to the teachers likely to avail of such measures.
The principal assumptions are that,
(i) in the case of re-deployments, the main effect would be to block new entrants, resulting in an average saving estimated at £10,200 per teacher.
(ii) in the case of redundancies, the bulk of those awarded redundancy would be senior teachers, resulting in an average saving estimated at £17,000 per teacher.