Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Jul 1993

Vol. 433 No. 6

Written Answers. - Pupil-Teacher Ratio.

Mary Harney

Question:

148 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the fact that Ireland has the highest pupil/teacher ratio in the developed world and in view of the commitment by this Government to reduce this ratio, she will give the plans, if any, she has to restore the number of teachers at Bishop Shanahan national school to 16; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

Arrangements for staffing in national schools for the 1993/94 school year provide for the retention of 200 posts which would have otherwise been lost due to falling enrolments. These posts have been allocated as remedial posts, concessionary posts in disadvantaged areas, home/school liaison teachers posts and posts for Special Education. It is projected that this will result in the overall pupil/teacher ratio in the coming year being reduced from 25/1 to 24.2/1.

The Programme for a Partnership Government provides for a pupil/teacher ratio of 22:1 by 1996.

In the case of Bishop Shanahan junior national school there were 460 pupils enrolled in the school on 30 September 1992 which warrants a staff of Principal and 14 assistants for the 1993/94 school year. This is the correct staffing in accordance with the agreement on staffing made for the 1993/94 school year. The only exceptions made from the agreed staffing arrangements is in the case of my Department's maximum class size guidelines being breached. These guidelines were reached following discussions with the managerial authorities and the INTO and are outlined in the following table:

for a single standard class,	maximum of 39 pupils.
for a class of mixing 2 standards,	maximum of 38 pupils.
for a class mixing more than 2 standards,	maximum of 35 pupils.
one teacher schools with more than 4 standards,	maximum of 28 pupils.

The Board of Management of Bishop Shanahan junior national school have been informed that if they cannot organise the classes in the school for the 1993/94 school year within these guidelines they should apply to my Department for the appointment of an additional teacher.