Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister on her new portfolio and the Minister of State, Deputy English, on his. A good reforming Minister for Education and Skills will always listen to pupils, teachers and parents to build and plan for the future.

Today, I ask the Minister to listen to me and to tell us whether she will support a reduction in class size. This is a major issue for education. One third of pupils in parts of Dublin are in classes with more than 30 pupils. Class size here is back to where it was ten years ago and one out of every four children in primary school is squeezed into a class of 30 or more. Will the Minister look at the option of reducing class size in primary schools?

See this speech in context