Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would love to have more money to spend in education but obviously, that is a matter for the Government to decide and is a matter for decision of Estimates etc. As for demographics, for example, in respect of school building and capital programmes and in maintaining the pupil-teacher ratio - and improving it slightly this year, as was done at both primary and post-primary levels - in all those decisions the Government has recognised the demographic pressures, particularly in the school capital programme, must be dealt with. This is why the Government was building schools and providing money for building schools despite the recession, as well as ensuring there were additional teachers every year and additional resources for schools, particularly additional teachers, even during the difficult times. However, on a broader scale I am sure everyone at this meeting probably would agree we should be spending more money on education and that it is an area in which there are growing demographics. However, that must be a matter for the Government, whosoever is in government at a particular time.