Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

The terms of reference should be extended to deal with hardship cases. This is the key issue. If we had a little bit of imagination and practicality, we would have a situation where these 28 schools that are about to lose a teacher would not lose one. It is ludicrous.

The most that is involved here is probably €1.5 million. I did a rough calculation before I came out. To put this in context, the Ministers and the Taoiseach will get the bones of €800,000 plus in terms of increases which they are unwilling to set aside. That is putting it in its context. It is small money but one cannot quantify the long-term consequences for children. I guarantee that if Government Deputies went home at night and asked their spouse or partner how he or she felt about the fact that their child was in a class of 35, he or she would say they wanted it changed. They are being sanctimonious in saying that the Government is doing something on this. It is doing absolutely nothing.

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