Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
505. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the pupil-teacher ratio in DEIS schools by one point; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18785/20]
View answerIn the 2019/20 school year there were 3,106 mainstream primary schools of which 690 were participating in the DEIS Programme.
Each 1 point adjustment to the overall primary staffing schedule is estimated to cost in the region of €4.7m in the first year and €14.4m for the full year.
As the Deputy is aware, currently only Urban Band 1 schools have a reduced pupil teacher ratio in accordance with supporting those schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. A reduction of class sizes in all DEIS schools would be a change in policy and create a new element to the staffing schedule of enrolment of pupils governing the appointment and retention of mainstream class teachers.
Appendix A of Circular 19/2019 sets out the schedule of enrolment of pupils governing the appointment and retention of mainstream class teachers and is available on my Department’s website at the following link ;
https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/circular-0019-2019-appendix-a.pdf
