Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)

I commend the Labour Party for tabling this motion and compliment Deputy O'Sullivan on her grasp of the education portfolio and interest in the sector generally.

I suspect the motion arises from the INTO campaign run around the country for the last few weeks. I compliment the INTO on the manner in which it has publicised the issue of class sizes. This publicity clearly indicates that the Government made a commitment when the last programme for Government was being formulated to reduce class sizes for the under-nines to less than 1:20. It has not delivered on that promise but, worse still, the Minister for Education and Science is in denial about it. She continually trots out the old story about a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:17, but fails to mention that in some instances that figure is due to special needs teachers and other professionals. That is a dishonest approach. She should be ashamed of herself for trying to create this false impression. It is not fair to behave in such a fashion.

Everybody accepts that if young pupils do not receive the attention they deserve at school, it means trouble is being stored up for the future. That will be the Minister's legacy. She failed to deliver on the Government's promise. As a consequence, trouble is being stored up.

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