Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. The priority this Government attaches to providing for quality education, as did previous Fianna Fáil led Governments, is evident in the budget allocations to the Department since 1997. This year alone, the Government allocated more than €9.3 billion to education. This continued prioritisation of education over the past 11 years has reversed the historic under-investment in areas such as school facilities, services for children with special needs and those in disadvantaged areas.

The 2009 budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be totally spared. The various impacts at school level were included in the budget day announcements. Even with the budget measures in place there will still be a significantly increased borrowing requirement in 2009.

When the country was able to afford it the Government reduced the basis on which primary teachers are allocated to schools from being based on an average number of pupils per teacher from 35 pupils down to the current level of 27 pupils. The change to a new average of 28 pupils per teacher has to be viewed in this context. Significant additional supports have been provided particularly in the area of special education.

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