Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2024
270. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of the estimated first and full-year current cost and one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at primary level in academic year 2024/2025 and by a further one point in academic year 2025/2026, in tabular form. [15980/24]
View answer271. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of the estimated first and full-year current cost and one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at post-primary level in academic year 2024/2025 and by a further one point in academic year 2025/2026, in tabular form. [15981/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together.
At primary level, teachers are allocated to schools at an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. DEIS Urban Band 1 schools receive an average allocation of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively.
Each one point improvement in the staffing schedule at primary level for DEIS and non-DEIS schools requires between 350-400 additional teaching posts, at a cost of approximately €6.85 million in the first year and in excess of €20.5 million per annum after that. The estimated one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at primary level is circa €25-€35 million. This estimated cost is based on certain assumptions regarding the number of new teaching posts generated and available accommodation capacity. A second reduction of one point in a subsequent year is estimated to cost a further €25-€35 million.
Teachers are currently allocated to post primary schools at a ratio of 19:1 in the free educations system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector. Each 1 point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio at post primary level would cost approximately €22 million in the first year and approximately €66 million per annum after that. The estimated one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at post-primary level is circa €60-€75 million. This estimated cost is based on certain assumptions regarding the number of new teaching posts generated and available accommodation capacity. A second reduction of one point in a subsequent year is estimated to cost a further €60-€75 million.
