Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2026
334. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average class size of primary schools, by county and local authority area, in the 2025-2026 school year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54546/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlease find attached 2025-2026 average mainstream class size by county and local authority.
Tables were collated from the 2025-2026 class tables which can be found at the link below: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/class-size-information-at-individual-primary-school-level/.
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. Teacher allocations for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools have also been improved and now stand at an average of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively. 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 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.
2025-2026 average mainstream class size by county and local authority
