New figures have revealed there are 2,120 primary school classes across the State with 30 pupils or more in the last academic year.
And in some classrooms teachers were trying to cope with teaching up to 39 pupils, which has been branded as “shocking.”
The current allocation is on an average ratio of one classroom teacher for every 25 pupils and this is expected to reduce further from next month.
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However, figures obtained by the Irish Mirror show this likely will not be achieved.
Sinn Fein’s education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said: “Too many of our children’s quality of education is being affected by high class sizes.
“There are countless classes that are far too big, in buildings too small, and not fit for purpose and I urge the Minister to urgently address this issue.
“In Cork County, there were 208 classes with 30 pupils or more; these large numbers have also been seen in South Dublin County Council (142) Galway County Council (108), Meath (113), Limerick (106).
“These figures are shocking.
“Some of these classes are absolutely enormous and would clearly put teachers and students under severe pressure.
“In 2021 there were classes with as many as 37 pupils in Louth, Mayo, Meath, Offaly and Wexford.
“Classes of 38 pupils in Cork County Council, Limerick, Galway City Council and Laois. Classes with 39 pupils in Monaghan.
“This is simply unacceptable.”
He said Sinn Fein wants to abolish all classes of over 30 kids and “never allow them to return, and work towards attaining the EU average of 20 children per class.”
He added: “The Minister has an historic opportunity to introduce a two-point reduction in average class size in a single year.
“The Minister has an opportunity to do this by sufficiently investing in our education system in the upcoming budget and to make progress in reducing class sizes to the EU average.
“Evidence shows that pupils do better and are better served with smaller class sizes.”
He said a two point reduction to the pupil-teacher ratio in each of the next two years would cost €62 million in total, €31 million per year.
Meanwhile, almost €26 million has been spent on providing prefabs to primary and secondary schools across the country due to a lack of space.
Figures given to Labour TD Sean Sherlock show 795 prefabs are in use across the country but counties Cork and Dublin rank the highest.
Mr Sherlock said: “It’s crucial that we reduce the need for temporary accommodation and ensure that our children are taught in school buildings that are appropriate, safe and warm. “Bricks and mortar are the only way to ensure that.”
Education Minister Norma Foley said temporary accommodation in schools may be rented or purchased and funded by the Department or by the school authority itself, with or without Department sanction, or installed by a contractor as a temporary arrangement as part of a school building project.
Minister Foley said: “Within the context of a rapidly increasing school population combined with arriving Ukrainian children, my Department's priority is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place.
“In this regard, it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
“The changing landscape in relation to enrolments including that of arriving Ukrainian children means that accommodation requirements can vary locally and regionally and between short, medium and long-term and this is a relevant factor considered by the Department in determining the type of accommodation solution to be put in place.”
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