Dáil debates

Thursday, 22 March 2007

 

Schools Building Projects.

3:00 pm

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

There were two portions of land in question.

With regard to the number of classrooms needed due to class size, every new teacher will obviously need a new class. Some 5,000 extra teachers have been provided in the past five years, which adds pressure, given there is a direct link between the reduction in class size and the provision of classrooms.

Of those classrooms provided last year and being provided this year, a number are resource rooms for the special needs teachers who have been appointed. We are very conscious of the fact not every school had the space for the special needs teachers but we appointed the teachers anyway because it is better to have the teacher who could support the child rather than waiting for the classroom.

Through the permanent initiative scheme and the small schools scheme, where schools have been extended, in most cases the classrooms and in particular the resource rooms are required for extra teachers, be that due to reductions in class size or the development of schools.

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