Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Pupil-Teacher Ratio.

Mr. Farrelly

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue and the Minister for being present to address it. I raise this matter following replies to a number of written questions tabled to the Minister. I discovered from those that 60 out of the 102 primary schools in County Meath exceed the pupil-teacher ratio by between 5 per cent and 40 per cent. This is very unfair as it places teachers under severe hardship, the majority of whom wish to do their best for their pupils. It is also unfair to the children in these classes. The INTO's agreeing the parameters for the loss of teachers by 30 September in any given year has perhaps led to a huge increase in some of the percentages. Where some schools would have been under or at the ratio before that date, they would have lost teachers after it, thus increasing their ratio. With substantial funding now coming into Government coffers on a daily and weekly basis, we should push for decreasing the pupil-teacher ratio to the acceptable level of 22:1 in as many schools as possible.

The Minister will probably inform me that many of the 40 other schools in the county have a considerably lower ratio. However, I will cite the examples of a number of schools I know personally: Stackallen national school is five more than the ratio which is 30 per cent over; the Convent of Mercy in Kells is 4.5 more which is also 30 per cent over; Cannistown primary school in Navan is 5.6 more which is 35 per cent over; Drumconrath national school is 30 per cent over; Moynalty primary school is 25 per cent to 30 per cent over the agreed guidelines; Rathregan primary school is 40 per cent over; and Enfield national school is 40 per cent over. I am sure it is the same in every county in the country.

I ask the Minister to consider the seriousness of the problem and the need for funding to be made available to deal with the issue. Can he inform us if he has plans to deal with this matter over the next one to three years by providing the necessary extra funding? Having young children myself, I appreciate the importance of having small numbers in classes. It gives the teacher and the students a better opportunity than is the case at the moment. I know that a system, implemented by previous Ministers and Governments, pays special attention to certain disadvantaged areas by providing additional teachers and resources. I want fairness for everyone — teachers and children. All children should be treated equally and I would appreciate if the Minister could inform us if he can examine this and provide sufficient funds over a period of one to three years to bring these figures in line with Government guidelines of 22:1.

Mr. Martin

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. In the terminology of the Adjournment it is referred to as Government guidelines but the pupil-teacher ratio as calculated is not really a Government guideline. It is the number of pupils divided by the number of teachers nationally. The ratio of 22:1 at which we now are does not mean that every school has that ratio. The demographic shift in the country has had a significant impact in the areas which have experienced massive urban growth and classes at higher levels, a different situation prevails in rural Ireland with reductions in enrolments and teacher numbers.

I am pleased to address the matter. Staffing arrangements for primary schools are determined on a national level rather than on a county by county basis. We look at the national picture. In March 1997 the then Minister for Education agreed staffing arrangements for primary schools for the current school year with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation in the context of the demographic dividend which was being redistributed. These agreed arrangements were based on the allocation of all surplus posts available for redistribution from the demographic dividend. Accordingly, I do not have resources at this time to allocate additional teachers today or tomorrow to primary schools, although I will be dealing with staffing schedules for the 1998-9 school year and would like to be then in a position to improve the situation.

I draw the Deputy's attention to An Action Programme for the Millennium. This document contains a commitment to give primary education a clear priority in allocating resources. Since there are no teaching posts available to me at present for allocation to schools, I am currently examining a range of options with a view to identifying the most appropriate way to fulfil the Government's commitments in this regard. The staffing arrangements for 1998-9 will be the subject of discussion with the partners in education and it will be early in the new year when we will be in a position to outline the staffing schedules for the next year.

I also point out to the Deputy that the pupil-teacher ratio is not a measure of class size per se. Rather, it is the ratio of the total primary teaching population relative to the total primary school population. Accordingly, it serves the very useful function of indicating the relationship at national level between teacher numbers and pupil numbers. A pupil-teacher ratio of 22:1, as prevailed during the 1996-7 school year, does not imply that every single school enjoys this ratio. It is widely accepted that many schools have a higher ratio in the same way as there are schools which enjoy a lower ratio. The Deputy will also be aware there are guidelines on maximum class size which are designed to ensure that schools do not have excessively large class sizes. Schools are required to organise classes in compliance with these guidelines. Where schools are unable to ensure that all classes are within the recommended guidelines, it is open to the managerial authorities to contact my Department on the matter.

Maximum class size guidelines in the current year are as follows: 35 in the case of a single grade class group; 34 in the case of a class group with two consecutive grades; 31 in the case of a multigrade class group; 29 for all classes in schools which are designated or disadvantaged. The maximum class size guideline for one teacher schools with more than four standards is 28.