Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend an Teachta Jonathan O'Brien for bringing forward this very comprehensive PMB motion on education, and for his thoughtful and considered contribution to this debate. Hopefully the Minister will take some of his points on board. Mar a deireann Sinn Féin, tá an Rialtas seo ag leanúint na droch polasaí oideachais céanna a bhí i bhfeidhim ag Rialtas Fianna Fáil. Níl aon Teachta ó Fhianna Fáil anseo, ach tá a fhios ag an Aire cad atá ar siúl acu.

With the budget only weeks away, there is serious concern among many teachers and parents that the Government plans to impose more cuts on education, and that this will lead to a further increase in the pupil-teacher ratio. The primary school class sizes in this State are already the second highest in the EU, with primary schools allocated one teacher for every 28 pupils. I am sure all Members have received hundreds of postcards over the last few weeks urging them to ensure that primary education is protected in the October budget, so this motion and this debate is timely.

There is no way that school children of today and tomorrow should be paying for the mistakes of greedy bankers and incompetent politicians. Education is a very basic right for every child, regardless of his or her background, and an across the board cut to education would be a direct attack on that right. An increase of 2.5 in the pupil-teacher ratio could also mean the loss of as many as 500 mainstream teaching posts, which would mean more overcrowded classrooms and understaffed schools, and basically failing the next generation. The Minister knows better than me that class sizes have a huge impact on children's learning. All the evidence shows that learning outcomes improve in smaller classes. Smaller classes also provide greater opportunity to identify learning difficulties and allow for early intervention.

Primary education needs to be a cornerstone of the recovery, not a target for more cuts.

As Deputy O'Brien mentioned, Labour Deputies have spoken about places in the North that many of them have never visited. The current pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools in the North is 24.7:1. By contrast, in this State, austerity rules, not the child's right to an education or the parents' right to see their children reach their full potential. Some €200 million has been cut from education since the Government entered power. The cost in educational terms is significant for children. The financial cost has been severe for parents. School uniforms, books, stationery, activities like sport and drama and the demands for voluntary contributions can cost a family with three children more than €1,000 per year.

More than 120,000 children - nearly a quarter of all primary school children in mainstream schools - are in classes of 30 pupils. As the Minister knows, the school population is set to increase significantly during the next decade. In Termonfeckin in my constituency of Louth, there are 36 in one classroom and 37 in another.

I wish to address briefly the issue of guidance counsellors. They are spending more time in the classroom and are not available to deal with students who approach them seeking help, sometimes with serious mental health issues. There has also been a loss of 500 teaching posts in 700 schools as a result of the changes made to secondary school staffing allocations. This has led to the loss of guidance counsellors. This is unacceptable at a time when young people are particularly vulnerable and the suicide rate is increasing.

I commend this motion to the Dáil and ask Deputies to vote to protect primary education and the pupil-teacher ratio. The Minister should accept the points made in the spirit in which they have been offered.

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