1490. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is a statutory maximum pupil-teacher ratio, maximum class size or maximum classroom occupancy limit applicable to individual classrooms in primary schools for the purposes of compliance with fire safety regulations; the legislative, regulatory or guidance basis for any such limits; whether responsibility for determining safe classroom occupancy levels rests with school management authorities, school patrons, design professionals or the relevant fire authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63464/26]

The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are determined at local school level. My department’s guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account for example, classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolments and other variables specific to each school.

My department has in place detailed design guidelines for Primary & Post Primary School Accommodation. These guidelines are available on my department’s website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/7e515-technical-guidance-documents and include a Fire Strategy guide for design teams, fire-strategy-for-schools-a-supplementary-guide-for-design-teams.pdf

These guidelines comply with all statutory requirements including Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations, which sets out fire safety requirements.

My department recognises that individual school authorities are best placed on a day-to-day basis to monitor and ensure that their Health & Safety systems and practices, including fire safety, contribute to ensuring that schools are safe and suitable environments for the entire school community. Boards of Management and Education and Training Board (ETBs) as employers have legal obligations under The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

Detailed Health & Safety Guidelines for schools have been produced by the Health & Safety Authority in collaboration with the education sector. The aim of these Guidelines is to provide practical assistance to school authorities including advice and recommendations on how to implement and operate Health & Safety, including Fire Safety management systems in schools. These Guidelines may be accessed on the website of the Health & Safety Authority and on my department’s website at Health and Safety Guidelines for Schools (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/policy-information/health-and-safety-guidelines-for-schools/)