Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

According to the Department of Education and Science there are 48,000 newcomer pupils of 160 different nationalities in primary and post-primary school in Ireland. Approximately 60% of those do not have English as their first language. The INTO projects that 500 language support teachers out of 1,600 at primary level will be lost on the basis of the Minister's announcement. That is a cut of one third. Based on the Minister's figures making up the difference, it means a 50% cut in language support teachers at second level. As the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, will tell the Minister, language is a major barrier for many migrants in this country and is becoming the single most significant key divisive factor in our country. If migrants cannot communicate, they cannot integrate into society.

This policy decision will facilitate the development of ghettoes into the future. Not only will this cause social problems, but the cap on language support teachers, in conjunction with the increased class sizes, will result in teachers allocating inordinate amounts of time to some students with the rest of the class suffering. It will ensure that every child in a school with migrant pupils will suffer and as a result will foster resentment against immigrants which will damage society far into the future. Unless children of all nationalities can communicate and understand, they will be lost in the school setting and in the wider society.

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