Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 Mar 1990

Vol. 396 No. 6

Written Answers. - Pupil-Teacher Ratios.

Mary Flaherty

Question:

22 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

Donal Carey

Question:

32 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

William Cotter

Question:

37 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

Andrew Boylan

Question:

50 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

Madeleine Taylor-Quinn

Question:

51 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

Joe Sherlock

Question:

52 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she has received representations from post-primary teachers' unions to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio from 20 to 1 to 19 to 1 in secondary schools; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that representatives of the unions indicated that their support for the Programme for National Recovery was dependent on progress being made on this issue; the steps she intends to take to have the pupil-teacher ratio reduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

P. J. Sheehan

Question:

64 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

Gerry Reynolds

Question:

72 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

Austin Deasy

Question:

83 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) national schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) vocational schools and (d) community and comprehensive schools.

Michael Moynihan

Question:

89 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the present situation regarding the negotiations with the INTO on the improvement of the pupil-teacher ratio for September, 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

210 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education if she intends to introduce a 19 to 1 pupil-teacher ratio in secondary schools.

Bernard Allen

Question:

212 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education if she will give details of the agreement made between her Department and the ASTI prior to the ICTU vote on 8 February 1990.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 32, 37, 50, 51, 52, 64, 72, 83, 89, 210 and 212 together.

In accordance with the agreement reached by the Government with the INTO in negotiations under the Programme for National Recovery, the enrolment figures for appointment and retention of teachers in primary schools will be reduced by one unit at each level of the enrolment schedule with effect from 1 September 1990.

The Programme for Government provides that a continuing review of the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level will take place in consultation with the Central Review Committee with regard to the feasibility of a further reduction under a new programme for national recovery.

I should add that I have specifically required the Primary Education Review Body to deal with the question of demographic trends and their implications in preparing their report.

The position at second level education is that in accordance with the Programme for Government and the currentProgramme for National Recovery the Government has given consideration to improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio at post-primary level in the context of demographic decline.

I have informed the interested parties that, arising from such decline, the Government have decided that, where there are teachers over quota by reference to a 20:1 pupil-teacher ratio, teachers may be retained to the extent that such retention would be justified by the application of a pupil-teacher ratio of 19:1. This arrangement will not apply to fee-paying post-primary schools.

The Government's intention is that the resource being provided by this concession should be used to make available additional remedial/guidance teaching to the pupils.

The Government will continue to keep the pupil/teacher ratio at post-primary education level under review. It is understood that the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will, in the context of any further programme for national recovery, be seeking 19:1 ratio. The Government will consider this in the context of any negotiations on a further programme for national recovery.