Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 May 2016
149. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of providing additional school classrooms to reduce class sizes at post-primary level to a maximum of 25 pupils per class; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12196/16]
View answerTeacher allocations to all post primary schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.
In accordance with the published staffing arrangements each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities. It should also be noted in that regard that class group sizes will vary between general subject and specialist subject classes. The precise impact at individual school level is therefore difficult to predict in terms of capital requirements. A change in the staffing allocations may not always give rise to the appointment of an additional teacher and therefore the provision of additional post primary accommodation.
It is estimated that each one point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio (ptr) at post-primary level will involve in the order of 1,000 additional teaching posts. Not taking any potential spare school capacity into consideration, an estimate of providing additional general classroom accommodation for each 1 point adjustment to the staffing allocation will amount to over €80 million.
