Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
96. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on schools (details supplied) each losing a teacher for the upcoming year due to enrolment numbers; if this decision can be appealed; if the student teacher ratio is to be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40750/26]
View answerThe Government has significantly invested in our schools and in our teacher workforce in recent years. Through government investment in recent years, the general average of pupils to teachers in the Primary Staffing Schedule improved from 26:1 five years ago to 23:1 for the current school year; the lowest ever ratio at primary level. 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.
The staffing schedule is an allocation mechanism that uses enrolment bands to determine the number of classroom teaching posts allocated to a school.
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 treating all similar types of schools equally, irrespective of location.
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 fewer pupils are required to retain or recruit a teacher.
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.
It is acknowledged that, overall, the number of children enrolled in primary schools across the country is declining, although some areas experiencing population growth remain exceptions to this trend. This demographic change has implications for teacher numbers at school level.
The primary school staffing arrangements for the 2026/27 school year are set out in Circular 0025/2026. These arrangements contain an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The June Appeals meeting is due to be held on the 17th June.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and the Minister and its decision is final.
