Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I know the thoughts of each person here on that issue. I invested in those two areas first because they are top priorities for me and the Government. I have made a commitment this year and for next year on class size and look forward, when I am re-elected, le cúnamh Dé, to being able to do even more about this problem. I am nothing if not up front and honest about it. Schools will recognise exactly what the priorities are and why.

A new priority emerged with international students because it is not possible to have thousands of pupils in our schools who do not speak English. We had to assign teachers to them as well. The 500 teachers are extra, there will be others over and above that number to replace those who will retire etc.

It is a serious problem for the profession that sufficient men are not attracted to teaching because children need role models of both genders. It would be a negative development for the teaching profession and schools to be completely feminised. All male teachers in medicine or engineering would not be acceptable. That is why we are actively running the men as teachers and educators, MATE, campaign to attract men into teaching. It appears that although there is a drop in the numbers applying for teacher training this year there is an increase in the number of men applying.

I hope we can all take a positive approach to teaching and that career guidance teachers and parents will recommend it as a profession. At present parents and career guidance counsellors tell the good female students that teaching would be a lovely job for them but suggest that the good male students do something else. Teaching is not portrayed as having the same status for men as for women. As a society we must deal with that problem.

In response to Deputy Finian McGrath's question about people moving between areas to change school, some schools cherrypick their students on the basis of special needs and background. They do this within the confines of their own enrolment policies by saying, particularly to the special needs pupils, that the school down the road can deal better with them. This is a sly, underhand way of dealing with the inclusive school society we should have. I have addressed this at each of the conferences I have attended and will do so again at the conferences held over the Easter holidays.

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