Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
480. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education if matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) will be addressed; if the concerns of the staff will be addressed; if DEIS band 1 and vertical schools will be included in the reduction in the pupil-to-teacher ratio; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35374/20]
View answer483. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the reason there has not been a similar decrease in the staffing schedule for urban band 1 junior schools and vertical schools as there has been in mainstream classrooms, given that research shows the impact of class size and achievement is most effective in the first four years of schooling and that children from low socioeconomic backgrounds benefit most from lower class sizes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35443/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 483 together.
Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools catering for senior classes only. Most DEIS Urban Band 1 schools operate vertical schools with a ratio of 22:1.
As an initial step in addressing this, I have focused on a reduction in the Senior DEIS Urban Band 1 primary schools and therefore there will be a one point reduction in their staffing schedule from 24:1 to 23:1.
The total budget allocation of additional funding of €2million in 2021, with a full year allocation of €5million in 2022 provides for further supports to be allocated as part of the DEIS programme to those schools catering for the highest concentrations of educational disadvantage. My Department continues to support those schools most in need. My department is considering options on how best to achieve this.
