Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

It is important that the Minister should indicate to the House whether the commitments given in the programme for Government on reducing the staff schedule this year, next year and the following year will be put in place. I specifically refer to commitments that should be honoured in 2009. Many schools will lose a teacher or two this year because of the Government's failure to honour its promises.

I also will refer to a promise made in respect of post-primary education. A unequivocal commitment was made by the Minister's former leader, Deputy Bertie Ahern, at the Ard-Fheis before the recent election that a reduction in class size would take place in respect of the core subjects of Irish, English and mathematics in post-primary education.

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