John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion on education. Its primary focus is the pupil-teacher ratio, special education and forward planning. It is worth noting that when the Opposition tabled the motion, the issues that had been highlighted during the years were no longer on the agenda. As previous speakers stated, this is due primarily to the significant progress made.

I met some colleagues recently and, in view of the upcoming election campaign, we carried out a review of issues that had been current. I note the presence of Deputy Gogarty who is familiar with the Lucan area. This time five years ago heading into the election campaign the single biggest issue for people living there was access to primary education for their children. Parents had difficulty simply enrolling their children in a school. The big issue in Clondalkin was the condition of older school buildings. It is interesting to note the progress made in the years since the election. I acknowledge the roles played by both the current Minister and the previous Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, in addressing those issues. Too often we fail to acknowledge achievement. Since the election Griffeen and Lucan Educate Together schools opened. Archbishop Ryan national school was the first of the new modular design which had a junior and senior school on the one site. Coláiste Phádraig doubled in size. Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada was established and the secondary school moved to a permanent building. That is just in Lucan alone. They are the real issues.

The majority of schools in my constituency which had problems with leaking roofs or electrical and heating problems have been addressed through summer works and other projects. Because we have addressed those issues we can now move on and examine other issues such as the pupil-teacher ratio and special education. The roles played by both the current and previous Ministers in addressing these issues should be acknowledged. Since 1997, a total of 10,000 additional teachers have been employed, 8,000 of whom are specifically involved in primary teaching. Much of the emphasis has been on special education and areas of disadvantage.

Too often we spend our time looking at figures. We refer to average class size or the pupil-teacher ratio. We say the pupil-teacher ratio is not really relevant because we have all the other special needs supports in place and that average class size is a more accurate benchmark which allows us to make a comparison with the European league tables and so on. However, that is not a great way of doing it either. When my daughter started school, she was in mainstream education. Later, when she was ill, she had a special needs classroom assistant. Average class size is one issue but the impact of a classroom assistant should not be underestimated. I do not refer specifically to my daughter in this case, but to the amount of time freed up for the teacher to devote to the rest of the class. When we look at the figures using such a crude method, it is disingenuous in terms of what is happening in schools. We are ignoring the real impact special needs education is having, not just on those individuals who are the beneficiaries but on classes in general.

I agree class sizes in excess of 30 need to be radically tackled. However, when we look at the underlying causes, in some cases it is because various schools do not wish to have multi-grade classes. I am a member of a school board of management and have heard this issue discussed. I was in a multi-grade class for a couple of years at a time when it was the norm. In those days the population in Clondalkin was so small, it was the only way to sustain one school. That is difficult to believe now. In some schools it is a question of the management and allocation of resources. This issue must be dealt with at local level.

I agree with one point referred to in the motion; the one relating to forward planning. This involves all partners in education, not just the Department of Education and Science, the Oireachtas and so forth. The involvement of local authorities and planners is also required. Deputy Gogarty and Senator Tuffy who is a member of the Labour Party are familiar with the Adamstown development where schools are being built in tandem with housing development. This is a good model because the infrastructure was planned. I do not say it is perfect but it is an improvement on what was done heretofore. I admit we can always improve but it is a model that deserves consideration. In other words, we will not have thousands of houses with no possibility of schools, as was the case previously. Deputy Gogarty will agree that the model is working but it can certainly be improved. I would like to see that happen, but there is a role for local authorities alongside the Department of Education and Science. All partners in the education system must play a role.

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