Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
660. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific measures being taken to protect small schools in rural areas from closure or forced amalgamation; the way in which adjustments to enrolment thresholds and staffing schedules can be made to ensure the long-term sustainability of rural schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10429/26]
View answerEnrolment in primary schools across the Country has been reducing in recent years. The recently published enrolment figure for the 25/26 academic year is 6,759 or 1.25% fewer than the previous year. This declining demographic trend has been more acute in rural areas, resulting in declining enrolments in small rural schools.
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. Primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on an average of one teacher for every 23 pupils.
The primary staffing schedule plays a central role in supporting sustainability at school level by aligning staffing resources with enrolment patterns in a clear and consistent manner. In Budget 2021, a three-point reduction in the retention schedule was introduced which helps to ensure better teacher retention in primary schools while also ensuring that less pupils are required to retain or recruit a teacher.
In the case of small schools, the schedule provides particularly favourable retention thresholds. For example, a small school may retain its second mainstream teaching post with as few as 11 pupils, its third post at 45 pupils, and its fourth post at 75 pupils. These arrangements are designed to support viable class structures and maintain low pupil to teacher ratios in smaller settings.
As a result, small schools typically operate with more favourable pupil teacher ratios than larger schools, where staffing is allocated on the basis of one teacher per 23 pupils. This reflects a deliberate policy choice to recognise the organisational and educational needs of small schools and to promote their ongoing viability within the system. There will always be instances where the enrolment of some schools will drop below the retention level and in these instances the school may lose a class teacher.
The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board, including a specific measure aimed at small schools.
The staffing schedule, together with its built-in appeals mechanism and ongoing demographic monitoring, provides a framework to support schools in planning for the future while maintaining educational quality and system sustainability.
The Programme for Government provides for a number of measures to support small schools, including introducing a new national small schools' project and trialling new administrative supports.
The Programme for Government commits to make further progress in this area with an aim to reduce the general Pupil Teacher Ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of government. I look forward to making progress on this important issue.
