Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)

Tréaslaím le mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta O'Sullivan, urlabhraí Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre ar chúrsaí oideachais, as ucht an rún tráthúil tábhachtach seo a chur os comhair na Dála. Is é seo an tríú rún ar an ábhar práinneach seo atá tugtha isteach aici sa Dáil. Foilsíodh rún i 2005 agus i 2006. Mar gheall air sin, ag deireadh na díospóireachta seo, beidh an Teachta O'Sullivan tar éis cinntiú gur caitheadh naoi n-uaire ar cheist na ranganna ró-mhóra le dhá bhliain anuas.

Having taught as a primary school teacher for more than 20 years before becoming an Oireachtas Member, I need no convincing of the scandal of primary school class sizes. The Labour Party motion states that, nationally, 100,000 primary school children are being taught in classes of 30 or more. In County Waterford, which I represent, 2,429 primary school pupils, or 23% of the total, are in classes of between 30 and 34. Another 4,398, or 41%, are in classes of up to 29. Significantly more than half of primary school pupils in County Waterford, therefore, are being taught in overcrowded classrooms.

Some 251 pupils diagnosed with special needs in County Waterford are being taught in large classes. While these pupils receive assistance from a special needs teacher for several hours per week, the main part of their school week is spent with the class teacher in overcrowded class rooms. The figures I have quoted are from an INTO survey undertaken last November which reveals the position for the current school year.

The Government's reneging on its commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government that the average pupil-teacher ratio for children under nine years would be brought below the international best practice guideline of 20:1 is the type of action that brings this House and the profession of politics into disrepute. It sets the worst type of headline for the voters of tomorrow. The decrease in the percentage of GDP spent on education from 5.2% in 1994 to 4.6% in 2006 demonstrates the Government's lack of commitment in this area.

The provision of additional teachers is absolutely essential to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio to 20:1, but it is not the entire solution. I compliment my colleague, Deputy O'Sullivan, on producing the document Schools for the 21st Century. It includes proposals such as giving the National Treasury Management Agency the task of forecasting school accommodation requirements, purchasing school sites where demand for places will be high in future and using compulsory purchase order powers to purchase land at fair prices. The Labour Party has commissioned a leading architectural firm to give expression to our concept of Ireland's primary schools for the 21st century. This is an essential factor in reaching the position we wish to attain.

I attended a meeting in Tramore last Monday night organised by the Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO, to highlight the issue of class sizes. It was crowded to the doors and some parents were unable to get in. This and other such meetings send a clear message that parents and teachers will no longer tolerate the current situation. They demand effective action. People are angered that the Government did not begin to address its commitment in this regard until half way through its term. This is especially so when we consider how wasteful it has been in so many other ways.

Investment must be concentrated in preschool and primary education. Children lose out to a significant extent during these valuable years if they are taught in overcrowded class rooms where they cannot get the attention they need. All children, not just those with special needs, suffer in these circumstances. Teachers need the time and space to assist individual students, especially those with special gifts.

Overcrowded classrooms mean teachers are unable to teach children according to their individual needs and to assist them in developing to the full of their ability. Society will pay a price for this in the long term. If we do not develop the abilities of our children, we are in a backward situation. We must facilitate the development of children with special abilities. We must also ensure, as Deputy Gilmore observed, that no children emerge from our schools without adequate numeracy and literacy skills.

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