Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are myriad reasons I am proud to vote confidence in the Government. I will use my speaking time to outline briefly some of those reasons in my area of education. Simply put, the Government has progressed landmark reforms and investment in the education sector. All of them have been chosen to create the best possible opportunities and experiences for our children and young people, as well as to support the excellent staff working in the sector.

Budget 2023 provided for an unprecedented investment in education of almost €10 billion. This funding has enabled the largest ever investment in special education, an area that now has 40,000 dedicated professionals working in it, supporting students across more than 2,500 special classes in the mainstream system and in 128 special schools.

A new free schoolbook scheme for all primary and special schools has been initiated by the Government. This is truly a landmark moment in Irish education and one that will provide significant relief to working families across the country. Overall, this initiative alone will benefit more than 540,000 students and their families.

In three successive budgets, the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level has been reduced, bringing it to an historic low of 23:1. As a teacher, I know the value of smaller classes and have been committed to making this happen. In every year in which I have presided as Minister, our primary students have benefited from smaller classes and more individualised access to their teachers. A further reduction of the ratio has also been achieved in DEIS urban band one schools, thereby ensuring schools with the greatest concentration of disadvantage have been able to access additional teaching resources.

The DEIS initiative is a flagship programme to tackle educational disadvantage. The Government has provided for the largest ever expansion of the programme, which means one in four of our students now benefit from DEIS supports. In terms of wider student supports, it is important to note that a pilot programme for the delivery of counselling provision to primary school students is being rolled out this year.

What of curricular advancements? There is no doubt that the Irish education system is one of world-class learners, thinkers and doers. That has been key to Ireland's development as a society and an economy.

Of course, the Ireland of today looks significantly different from that of 100 years ago. We must move with these changes. It is for this reason that we have invested in curricular redevelopment in order to ensure that Irish schoolchildren and young people continue to develop the skills knowledge and attitudes they need to thrive in the 21st century. In recent weeks, the first ever primary curriculum framework was launched. Senior cycle review and reform was also launched. The past two years alone have seen positive, purposeful and proactive developments and initiatives in education. I assure the House that much more is to come.

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