Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-16
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Hildegarde Naughton (FG), Galway West

We have more favourable ratios as part of our DEIS urban band 1 schools. The Deputy heard me announce the DEIS schools earlier this year, so there are measures for children and students who are most at risk of educational disadvantage. We have been reducing the pupil-teacher ratio incrementally over the years and that is something I want to continue over the lifetime of this Government but, as the Deputy can appreciate, I cannot go into detail on any budgetary decisions because I have yet to have my meetings with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. I have to look at the whole of the education budget, making sure that we are supporting children with educational needs, reducing the burden on our leadership teams within our schools, because I hear those concerns around burnout very clearly, and looking at ways of listening to the stakeholders on what we could do to ease the pressure on our schools so they can focus more on teaching and learning, which is what they are all there to do, notwithstanding the administrative necessities required in our schools.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:17+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-16