Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)

We must ask whether the State is supporting the education system to a sufficient degree to ensure children are provided with the education they deserve and demand.

The Minister and her colleagues also trumpet what they claim is a reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio in recent years. I received a reply to a parliamentary question several weeks ago which stated that the pupil-teacher ratio had fallen from 22:1 in the school year 1996-97 to 17: 1 in 2003-04.

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