Primary teachers seek reduction in the size of classes

Primary school teachers have demanded a reduction in the number of pupils in Irish classrooms, which are the second largest in the EU.

The closing day of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) annual congress unanimously passed a motion calling on union executives to lobby for a reversal of the changes to class sizes in small schools.

Primary schools in Ireland have some of the largest classes in the EU. On average there are 25 pupils in Irish classes compared to an EU average of 20 per class. However, this includes special schools and classes, which brings the Irish average down. Countries like Poland (19), Italy (18.7), Greece (16.8) and Luxembourg (15.3) all have smaller class sizes than Ireland.