Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

May I give a general response, a Cheann Chomhairle, without going into detail? We have substantially reduced class sizes and the pupil-teacher ratio. We have transformed the learning environment for those with special needs and have launched major initiatives to tackle educational disadvantage. We have put resources into all communities. There are thousands of extra teachers and teaching assistants. We have reduced the pupil-teacher ratio far below the norm in disadvantaged areas. This was a policy objective. We believed we should put teachers into schools in disadvantaged communities and it has worked successfully. One may say that this should be done across the board in a way that does not affect disadvantaged schools, but class sizes in most disadvantaged areas are now 15 and under. That was the right thing to do. It does not mean that we will not continue to reduce class sizes in other areas.

On the medical card issue, not alone have we increased the numbers significantly but when people are working there is not the same demand for medical cards, although we also moved to a net pay basis, changing all the criteria. That was done with the medical cards system before we introduced the doctor-only cards. It is interesting that has not achieved the forecast numbers because income levels are far higher than the numbers based on the CSO figures a few years ago. If they were not, they would have claimed those cards. There have been three advertising campaigns for doctor-only medical cards but they still have not achieved the figures forecast.

We have returned more than €5 billion to the people in tax reductions. We have cut the standard rate and continue to make progress on the 18% rate but the important things were to improve the entry point system, which is now €200, which we said we would do, and to remove minimum pay from the tax net. There are approximately 750,000 people who are not eligible for tax at all as against 350,000 seven years ago. The 80:20 issue has not been achieved but the targeted measures to help single people, married couples, those with families, people with low incomes and those on the minimum wage were more important objectives.

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