Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I know Fine Gael likes to continually interrupt Government speakers. It does not do democracy any good not to let speakers, on all sides, to be heard.

The staffing situation relating to an individual situation can be picked out, but whether the allocation is based on an average of 27 pupils per teacher or is reduced further, ultimately schools make individual choices in assigning teachers to class groups. With over 20,000 individual classes spread across all schools throughout the country, there will always be differences in individual class sizes. If one school has a class of 35 while another school with the same number of pupils and teachers avoids having a class that big, the first question to ask is what could be done differently by the school concerned.

I remind the House that even with the emergence, in the latter half of 2007, of a much more challenging economic climate, the education budget was prioritised by the Government and given an increase of 8% in budget 2008. It was an increase of that order that enabled the allocation of over 2,000 additional teachers to primary schools since the Government took office last summer. This shows that the Government has a clear focus on the needs of primary schools. Sound and responsible Government means acting carefully in a measured and balanced way when there is global economic uncertainty. Difficult choices must be made, but they are in our long-term interest and will, ultimately, enable us to fulfil our promises.

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