Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Minister for Finance has committed also to a further reduction in class size in the following year. In real terms what this means is that over the next two years we will put 500 extra teachers in our schools to reduce class size and to tackle disadvantage. Schools will be asked to use the extra class teachers to ensure there are smaller classes for infants and young children rather than for the senior grades.

In speaking about staffing in our schools, I have consistently said priority would be given in the first instance to children in disadvantaged schools and those with special needs. Under the action plan for tackling disadvantage published earlier this year, there will be smaller classes in disadvantaged schools. With more than 600 extra resource teachers put in place this term, children with special needs are getting more support than ever before. Now, in line with the Government commitment, mainstream class sizes are also being reduced.

Providing the best possible learning environment at second level is just as important. I am strongly committed to ensuring a positive atmosphere in all of our schools and to having effective procedures in place to deal with negative student behaviour where it occurs. Accordingly, €2 million is being provided in the Estimates to enable me to begin implementing recommendations of the task force on student behaviour after its report is submitted to me next month.

In providing extra funding to improve the learning environment in our classrooms, I have not forgotten the need to give more day-to-day funding and management support to our schools. At both primary and second level, I am glad to be able to again provide for increases in capitation funding that are way beyond the rate of inflation. At primary level the rate of capitation will increase by €12 to €146 per pupil from next January. There will also be increased funding for secretarial and caretaking services. When one compares the €146 in capitation grants which they will get next year with the €57 they got in 1997 our commitment to improving funding is clear. Capitation will also increase by €12 per student at second level next year to €298 per head while the support services grant will increase by €4. In addition to this, an extra €10 per student will be given to the voluntary schools to continue the process towards equalisation of funding measures for that sector where we have made great strides in recent years. What this means in practice is that a typical 500 student voluntary secondary school will get, from my Department next year, between capitation and support services funding, grants for secretaries and caretakers and equalisation funding, €270,000 to meet its day-to-day costs outside of teacher pay, which is also covered by the Department. Extra funding will also be made available to the primary school management bodies. I will be in touch with them in the coming weeks about this matter.

In addition to providing more teachers, increased day-to-day funding and better management support, there are other important areas in which I am determined to make progress next year. Extra funding for teacher professional development will mean that in just over two years we will have increased spending in this area by 35%. This will cover, among other things, the provision of an in-service for teachers on a new technology subject at second level, a key element of ensuring that our second level curriculum is modern and diverse enough to allow room for all students to develop their own unique talents.

In addition to improving the quality of the teaching in our schools it is vital to have the rights systems in place to evaluate outcomes for children in order that we can identify those who need extra help, give parents better information about their children's learning and inform policy decisions at national level. One development that has great potential in that respect is the introduction of a national system of standardised testing. I am determined to make major progress on this area next year and to secure the funds to support it.

Funding for the primary school books scheme will also be increased by the order of 25%. Teachers of both first and second level schools will benefit from the investment being provided to establish an occupational health service for teachers and to support the development of the teaching council.

Another area that merits a special mention is that of school transport where provision will increase by 30% to €152 million next year. This will ensure that, as I and the Minister of State at my Department, Deputy de Valera promised earlier this year, every child will have his or her own seat and a seat belt on all our school buses by the end of next year. The extra money being given by the Government to education will allow progress across a whole range of areas in our schools to ensure our children get the best we can give them.

There are some children who need extra support to help them to reach their full potential. I have also stressed that helping children with special needs and those in disadvantaged areas is my priority as Minister and the provision being made for these areas next year reflects this priority. Under the new action plan for disadvantage, which I published during the year, there will be more funding for initiatives such as smaller classes in disadvantaged primary schools and increased funding for school books at primary and second level. There will also be a €20 million increase in provision for third level student support schemes to almost €230 million in 2006. My Department's approach to tackling disadvantage also reflects an awareness of the importance of the youth sector in providing positive recreational opportunities for young people in disadvantaged areas. More than €45 million will be spent on this area in 2006.

I am also conscious of the value of youthreach and VTOS programmes in providing second chance opportunities. I signal my commitment to developing that sector by providing increased non-pay funding for them next year. Non-pay funding for Youthreach and senior Traveller centres will increase by 8% while for VTOS it will increase by 19%. Next year, €636 million will be spent on tackling disadvantage in education at all levels.

In the area of special education we have already seen major improvements this year with the establishment of the National Council for Special Education, the increase in the number of special needs assistants and the guaranteed staffing allocation to primary schools. Next year we will build on those improvements where the Estimate is up 13% to more than €640 million for 2006, which will ensure these children become our priority.

The education system has a major role in ensuring that future Governments have the money they will need to fund public services many years from now and building the capacity of our higher education system to meet the skills and research needs of our economy today and in the future is crucial, and a priority for me as Minister. Next year, an additional €80 million, or 7%, will be provided in core funding for the universities and institutes of technology. A separate process has commenced to examine a number of university pension cost issues. The funding provided includes support for ongoing initiatives to respond to social and economic skills needs in key areas such as the health therapy apprenticeships and information and communications technology.

In consultation with the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, I am finalising proposals for important new developments in medical education which will increase the number of places available for school leavers from next year. The funding increases in the Estimates for my Department do not include the provision of a new strategic and innovation fund to support collaboration and reform in the third level sector, funding for which will be announced at budget time. I will make further announcements on overall capital projects in higher education before the end of the year.

Some €1 million has been provided in the Estimates to set up the Grangegorman development agency, the body which will develop the Grangegorman site for the DIT campus. The relocation of DIT which is spread over 30 different sites in Dublin to a 65 acre campus in Grangegorman will be the most ambitious educational building project ever seen in Ireland. This Government knows how important top class research will be to securing and protecting high skills jobs in the future. We are acting to put the necessary resources and infrastructure in place. I am delighted to announce that a dedicated research and development fund under the education Vote will increase by 17% next year, from €69 million to €81 million, allowing for cycle 4 of the PRTLI proposal, where €600 million has been invested. From smaller primary classes to more medical training places and increased provision for third level research major progress will be made in all areas of our education system next year.

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