Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I second the amendment moved by Senator Ulick Burke. I was surprised that the Government moved a motion of this nature.

I read the newspaper reports of the Easter conferences of the various teaching organisations. The good reception that was given to the Minister for Education and Science at the conferences was in sharp contrast to the reception given to her predecessor, Deputy Noel Dempsey. The reception given to the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, was surprising when one considers the many problems which exist in our schools. I assume that Deputies from her party approach her on a regular basis to discuss the impact of the changes being made on rural schools in their constituencies.

I would like to tell the Minister about a six year old boy called Jack, who attends a small rural school in my constituency. His mother came to see me recently. Regrettably, Jack will not receive two and a half hours of tuition because a clinical and educational psychologist has said he has a "mild general learning disability". The parents of some children pay speech and language therapists €180 to compile a report. I could read out the clinical and educational psychologist's analysis and interpretation of Jack, but I will not do so. It is understandable that Jack's mother is extremely distressed.

The Minister recently published a document in which she indicated that the National Council for Special Education has recruited organisers in every part of the country. I accept that it is good to have a contact point at local level. I have contacted organisers to make a case on behalf of parents who have contacted me about their children. When one mentions to organisers that the phrase "mild general learning disability" appears in the analysis of a child, they will say there is nothing they can do because of a policy within the Department of Education and Science.

I outlined my concerns in this regard on the Adjournment on 8 February last. The Minister, Deputy Hanafin, did not respond on that occasion, when I spoke about the impact that the changes which are taking place will have in County Limerick. I have been contacted by representatives of many schools in the county. Of the 42 resource teachers who will be lost by 72 schools in the county, just 30 will be redeployed and ten resource teaching positions will be lost. I was told on that occasion that changes will be made, which is an example of the kind of comfort being given by Government Deputies throughout the country. The Minister of State who responded on behalf of the Minister on that occasionsaid:

The Minister for Education and Science is conscious of the difficulties which may arise as a result of the implementation of the model as proposed, especially for children in small and rural schools including those in County Limerick. Accordingly, the model is under review to assess whether it will provide an automatic response to pupils with common mild learning disabilities.

I hope the Minister will use the motion that her own party has tabled this evening to explain what she means by that and remove the uncertainty that exists for parents troubled by the impact these changes will have on their children in September. Two and a half hours is a priceless length of time for parents of children with dyslexia but it is not being made available to them. How can Government Senators table a motion sycophantically praising a Minister when such problems exist? Maybe the Minister will explain what she meant in that response on 8 February. Perhaps the Fianna Fáil Deputies who are trying to offer schools some comfort by saying there will be changes will let us know what changes will take place.

On the weighted model, a survey was carried out in County Leitrim, a rural area, and in Dundalk, an urban area, to draw comparisons. In a recent reply to Deputy O'Sullivan in the Dáil, the Minister said she was not sure if she would publish the results. My information is that the survey results do not support the weighted system that is being introduced and that is why it is has not been published. The Minister should release the survey, clear up any uncertainty and stop the obfuscation and unnecessary damage being done by the policies lauded by Fianna Fáil. She should go out there and experience a dose of reality.

I have been asked to raise the case of the national school in Pallaskenry, County Limerick. A letter from the board of management, the parents and the teachers states:

We have six class teachers for 156 pupils. This means that the average class size in our school is 26 pupils. These figures are particularly intolerable as all our students are in split classes. Currently, for example, we have one teacher for 10 first class and 20 senior infants — an actual class size of 30 five and six year olds! In addition, we have the services of a shared learning support teacher (two and a half days per week) to provide extra support to 15 pupils and the services of a resource teacher to provide support to ten children with educational needs. These additional supports to our school must be maintained for the benefit of our most vulnerable children. Accordingly, class size in our school and resources for children with special needs are issues or urgent concern for the community.

We believe that it is not fair or equitable that our children should be taught in classes of these sizes, which belong to a bygone age, at a time when our country is experiencing unprecedented economic prosperity. Our demands for increased staffing in our school are set in the context where the Programme for Government (2002) committed the Government to: "reduce the pupil teacher ratio in our schools. Over the next five years we will progressively introduce maximum class guidelines which will ensure that the average size of classes of children under nine will be below the international best practice guidelines of 20:1".

That figure is contained in the programme for Government that has been in place for three years. The Minister recently said it was an aspiration. We must not be disingenuous. What did the Minister mean? Are we going to reduce class sizes and, if so, to what level will they be reduced? What will we tell schools about the reduction of class sizes? The letter from Pallaskenry continues:

Three years later not a single step has been taken towards achieving the Government's own target, notwithstanding the fact that for the first time in many years there are qualified primary teachers available for work and a further 1,600 teachers set to graduate in June 2005.

A sad situation is evolving where a dyslexic child will not be entitled to two and a half hours tuition. Some time ago in County Limerick a private school for pupils with dyslexia was established. It was heralded as a success but we felt the Department of Education and Science was making positive noises in the area of resources for the primary school environment. Unfortunately, however, we are going backwards. We are pressurising parents into getting separate tuition to fill the vacuum that the Government should be filling through the education structure. I hope a Fianna Fáil Senator will come into the House this evening and say that he or she is coming across these sorts of cases and seek their resolution instead of tabling sycophantic resolutions praising the Minister.

The Minister enjoys the support of a tolerant media but I am asking her to take action on an important issue. The teachers are available and the resources exist. The Minister must get on with the job and do it properly.