Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the urgent necessity to reduce primary school class sizes, which are currently the second-largest in the enlarged EU; the extreme difficulties experienced by teachers in endeavouring to effectively deliver the new primary school curriculum in overcrowded classrooms; the educational benefits to be gained from lower class numbers in terms of pupils' personal, academic and social development, with increased pupil engagement, more individualised teaching and minimal behavioural problems, with consequent advantages that last a lifetime; and calls on the Government to honour the solemn commitment in the programme for Government 2002 to 2007 to progressively introduce maximum class guidelines to ensure that the average size of classes for children would be below the international best practice guideline of 20:1.

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