184 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Education when adequate funding will be made available to reduce the sizes of primary school classes in certain schools (details supplied) in Dublin 16 and County Dublin in view of the difficulty in teaching such large classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

195 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Education if, in relation to a national school (details supplied) in County Dublin, she will ensure that adequate funding is made available to enable the class sizes to be reduced from their present pupil-teacher ratio of 39/1; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

196 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the severe overcrowding in classes in the Presentation national school, Ballymakenny Road, Drogheda, County Louth; whether a class size of 38 is contrary to her Department's policy of a 28 to 30 pupil-teacher ratio; if she has any plans to rectify the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

200 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that 78.2 per cent of pupils attending St. Pius X Girls primary school in Terenure, Dublin 6, are in classes of over 35 pupils; if she has satisfied herself that pupils in these large classes can receive adequate tuition to give them a grounding for the future; and the steps she intends to take to improve the pupil-teacher ratio.

205 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some classes at St. Anne's national school, Milltown, Dublin 6 have 38 pupils on register; if she has satisfied herself that pupils in these large classes can receive adequate basic tuition to give them a grounding for the future; and the steps she intends to take to improve the pupil-teacher ratio.

207 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fears expressed by parents of boys attending St. Pius X boys national school, Terenure, Dublin 6, that from September 1991 a teaching post will be lost resulting in the average class size being 35 students per teacher; if she has satisfied herself that pupils in these large classes can receive adequate tuition to give them a grounding for the future; and the steps she intends to take to improve the pupil-teacher ratio.

214 Dr. G. FitzGerald asked the Minister for Education the steps she intends taking to improve the pupil-teacher ratio position in Sandford national school, Dublin 6 where the first class and senior infants class are sharing one teacher in a joined class of 36.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 184, 195, 196, 200, 205, 207 and 214 together.

As the Deputies will be aware, an agreement is in existence between the Government and the INTO regarding the staffing of national schools.

As agreed with the Central Review Committee under the Programme for National Recovery my Department has implemented a reduction of 1 unit in the enrolment/staffing schedule for national schools from 1 September 1990. This agreement has led to an improvement in the pupil-teacher ratio in all national schools for the 1990-91 school year.

Under existing arrangements negotiated under the auspices of the Central Review Committee, school authorities, in particular the principal teacher, are responsible for arranging the organisation of the school so as to ensure that no class group exceeds the following guidelines set down by my Department: 39 (in the case of a single-grade class-group); 38 (in the case of a class-group with two consecutive grades); and 35 (in the case of a multi-grade class-group).

If a school is unable to organise its total enrolment to remain within these guidelines my Department is prepared to examine the question of sanctioning the appointment of an additional teacher to enable it to do so.

The issue of class sizes in national schools will be reviewed in the context of ongoing discussions under the Programme for National Recovery.