Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

The Minister has provided additional funding for schools serving areas of social disadvantage.

The tradition that education Ministers in the main are former teachers has been vindicated by Deputy Hanafin. I pay tribute to her concentrated effort to prioritise social disadvantage and inclusion. Even ten years ago such services were underdeveloped. Now, nearly every school has access to resource teachers and special needs assistants which can increase strains on space in older buildings. The previous Government gave this priority over the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio. Some reduction in the ratio did take place.

See this speech in context