Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
366. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average class size at primary and post-primary level for each county between the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; whether further reductions are planned within the lifetime of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5267/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Programme for Government there is a commitment to aim to reduce the general pupil teacher ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of the government and introduce targeted measures in schools with very large classes.
Priority was given in recent Budgets to reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools which has brought the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools, the most favourable ratio ever seen at primary level. More favourable ratios are implemented for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools.
In 2015, teachers were allocated to primary schools at a general average of 28 pupils for every one teacher. In the same 10 year period, average class sizes in primary schools have improved from 24.9 to 22.2 and the pupil : teacher ratio (commonly referred to as PTR) shows the ratio of pupils to teachers improve from 16:1 to 12.8:1. In addition to the reductions in the teacher allocation ratio, a three-point reduction in the retention schedule, which was introduced in 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts.
I am considering how best to make further progress, as part of the annual budgetary process, in reducing the primary pupil teacher ratio in the context of Programme for Government implementation.
The requested data on class sizes in primary schools is attached. Class data for the 2025-2026 academic year will be published in the summer. In post-primary schools, pupil enrolments vary by subject and so the concept of average class size does not apply. Furthermore, enrolments of pupils per subject is available at school level only so average class size per subject is not available.
The data supplied is collated from the 2020 to 2024 Primary Class Size tables published on my Department’s website and can be found at this link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/class-size-information-at-individual-primary-school-level/
