Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is an exercise we should undertake. All the evidence-based research suggests that smaller class size equates to greater educational output. As a State with one of the highest pupil-teacher ratios in Europe, we must move to a policy of reducing class size. The additional places the Minister refers to over the next six years will only meet the demographic rise. I am trying to show that it is not just about the demographics. While more students are coming on stream who must be catered for with attendant capital costs, the Minister's answer indicates that the Department has no idea of the capital and teacher post allocation costs of implementing the policy to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio. Those are the figures we need. How can we strive to have smaller class sizes if we do not have that vital information?

See this speech in context