Ms Deirdre O'Connor:

Senator Ruane asked what impact a learning environment had for a primary teacher, and about the role of outside and inside space. The size of a classroom is a very practical issue. To implement an active curriculum, and a play-based curriculum such as Aistear, one needs flexible space for children to be able to sit on the floor or go off and play. Providing for a decrease in class size is something we will have to look at in this context.

I was asked about the impact of the fabric of buildings on children with special educational needs. There are good principles around universal design for this purpose. Schools are public buildings and people have to be able to get in with buggies when they drop their kids off in the morning. People of all shapes and sizes, and of all abilities and disabilities, have to be able to access school buildings.