David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me raise this matter relating to Kilcredan national school. I am sure the Minister of State has a note on it.

Next September the school will have an average class size of more than 30 students and I am sure everyone agrees that this is not sustainable. Some of the classes will have 36, 37 or possibly 38 students. It is not right to have a junior infants class with such numbers and it flies in the face of every educational philosophy and good practice out there.

On 30 September 2006 the enrolment was 227. Some 205 is the number required for eight mainstream class teachers. The projected enrolment for next September is 247. The number required to qualify for a ninth mainstream teacher is 232 on 30 September 2006.

This practice of looking at the numbers of the previous September is antiquated and daft, especially when there is such a large increase in the course of the year. The school was five pupils short, yet during the year it accepted nine extra children, five of whom were from outside the country. In September the school will have 36 in junior infants, 24 in senior infants and 27 in both fourth class and fifth class. Other Ministers in the House who were primary teachers will see that this is not right.

This was an amalgamated school, which had it not amalgamated, would have been three separate schools. The schools agreed and co-operated with the Department and came together as one, and they have lost out as a result.

The students and the teachers are suffering. I know that the appeals board has turned them down and that the Minister will tell me that. That is daft as well. We need to look at the future of our pupils. If they fall behind at an early age, as teachers here will be aware, it is difficult for them to catch up. Having 37 or 40 junior infants in a class is not sustainable. It is daft. The Government has been saying the average class size should be 24 and here is a practical example of where the average class size is over 30. That cannot continue.

I do not know what the Minister of State can do about it. I hope he can do something, that he will not merely wring his hands and state that we must adhere to the decision of the appeals board which is independent. I do not accept that. We must change the rules so that in cases like this there can be more flexibility built into the system and extra teachers appointed when they are needed for the sake of the pupils. The situation is akin to sardines in tins.

I look forward with some, although not much, hope to the Minister of State's reply. I ask him to give me a commitment to look at this again or at least to look at the entire system again because it is just not working in its current guise.

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