Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2017
98. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of improving the staffing schedule in primary schools to reduce class sizes by one point each year in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40879/17]
View answerBudget 2017 represented the start of a major reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade. The budget provided for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools in the 2017/18 school year.
Each 1 point adjustment to the staffing schedule is estimated to cost in the region of €15m - €18m per annum.
It is my intention to make further improvements to class sizes over the life of the Government. However, I recognise that there are needs across the system which have to be balanced in the decisions made in each Budget.
