Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter. It is particularly appropriate this week when the INTO invited Oireachtas Members to visit schools throughout the country to see at first hand the conditions therein.

I and all my colleagues in County Clare believe that thousands of children in primary schools in Clare are in classes which are well in excess of the national average class size. The INTO recently carried out a survey in Clare primary schools that revealed from the 86% response that there are 93 primary classes there with 30 to 40 pupils, 12 primary classes with 35 pupils or more, and 3,500 Clare primary pupils in classes of 30 or over. Some 420 of these pupils are in classes of 35 or more and 800 are in multiple classes where the teacher must cope with up to four different classes in one overall class grouping.

All this is happening at a time three years after the Government committed to a radical reduction in the size of primary classes in its programme for Government. In its programme the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government gave a commitment that it would introduce maximum class guidelines over five years which would ensure that the average size of classes for children under nine would be below the international best practice guideline of 1:20. Three years later, the Government has failed to take even one step towards reducing class sizes in primary schools by even the slightest amount.

Last Monday, I and three of my Oireachtas colleagues visited Ballyea national school, which is very close to my parish. I was astonished to see at first hand the overcrowding in the classrooms. There were 35 children in one classroom that was less than well-ventilated, one of whom was a pupil in a wheelchair. The children were so close to each other that the teacher said that when one child coughed, every child picked up the infection. Even the teacher had very little space between the table and blackboard in which to manoeuvre.

Young children need more scope. The teachers, who do an excellent job, informed us that it was impossible for them to teach the new curriculum where small classes and groups are required in the guidelines introduced by the Department of Education and Science. The new curriculum clearly states that all children have a right to access to the highest quality of education appropriate to their needs. This includes children with disabilities.

I was further astonished to see that Ireland ranks second in the European Union on average class size, just behind Great Britain. This is unacceptable in an era when significant Government resources are available and there is under-spending in some Departments. Teachers and parents are entitled to the highest quality education and individual attention for their children. Adequate space in classrooms is the least we can expect. Pupils with special learning needs must be able to progress satisfactorily at their own pace. Unless class numbers are reduced, our children will suffer.

An additional 2,500 teachers will graduate this year from colleges. Some 1,700 of these could enter the system which would make a major difference towards reducing class numbers while 800 would go towards annual teacher replacements. The teachers are available and I urge the Minister to make the changes. We do not expect it to be done overnight as we know it cannot be done like that. If the Minister reduced class sizes, it would make a significant difference.

During our briefing with the teachers in Ballyea school, many of them indicated they were frustrated with the class numbers and informed us that they could not achieve what they wanted with many children because of class size. They need more work space. Every pupil needs to get to know the teacher. Many teachers said they could not get to know their pupils on a one-to-one basis because of class size.

I urge the Minister to begin the process of reducing class size numbers rather than reducing the pupil-teacher ratio, which is different. The Government must deliver on its pre-election promise because a good primary education for our young population is the foundation for our children's future. A sound education would also alleviate some of the social problems in towns and cities.

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Pat Breen for raising this matter. I am glad to have the opportunity to outline to the House the improvements that have been made in primary class sizes by the Government.

Since 1997, the Government has dramatically increased the number of teachers in primary schools. In that time more than 4,000 additional teachers, including nearly 2,500 resource teachers, have been employed. These additional teaching posts have been used to reduce class sizes, tackle educational disadvantage and provide additional resources for children with special needs. Average class size has been reduced from 26.6 in 1996-97 to 23.9 in 2003-04. With regard to primary schools in County Clare, I am pleased to say that the average class size in the 2003-04 school year was 23.2.

The pupil-teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers in the school, including resource and learning support teachers, has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.4:1 in 2003-04. Significantly smaller class sizes have been introduced in disadvantaged schools involved in the Giving Children an Even Break and Breaking the Cycle programmes, with approximately 47,700 pupils in 243 participating schools availing of reduced class sizes of either 15 or 20 pupils per class.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous year. The staffing allocation system is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of more than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes in the school. As a result of the decrease in the overall maximum class size by reference to the staffing schedule from 35 in the 1995-96 school year to 29 currently, the number of children in classes of 30 or more has decreased substantially. In that regard, the average class size in the 30 to 39 category in 2003-04 was 31.7.

Other improvements in staffing for primary schools in recent years include a reduction in the appointment and retention figure for the first mainstream class teacher to 12 pupils; the appointment of administrative principals to ordinary schools with nine or more teachers, including ex-quota posts; a reduction in the enrolment figures required for the appointment of administrative principals to ordinary schools and Gaelscoileanna; the allocation of teaching posts to schools where 14 or more pupils with significant English language deficits are identified; and the allocation of additional learning support teachers.

In line with Government policy, the Department of Education and Science will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil teacher ratio within available resources subject to spending priorities within the education sector. Priority will be given to pupils with special needs, those from disadvantaged areas and those in junior classes. Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter.