John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I join with other Senators who have asked for a debate on education, particularly primary education. Senator Brian Hayes and others mentioned the area of school discipline in regard to both primary and secondary schools. This is an area that has not received enough attention in the past few years and is a serious problem in many classrooms. As someone who was a secondary school teacher briefly, I am all too familiar with some of the difficulties for teachers and pupils who are faced with unruly pupils.

I also agree with the sentiments expressed by other Senators, particularly Senator O'Toole, in respect of the report of the national task force on obesity. I know of a school in my parish where the general purpose room is now three classrooms and the schoolyard virtually does not exist because of prefabs. The perimeter of the school has been hemmed in by new developments so there is very little space for children to take part in any type of activity at lunch time or PE time. This is a widespread issue throughout the country and we should have a discussion on it.

My final point concerns staffing issues in primary schools. Last night I attended a public meeting in Urlingford in north County Kilkenny at which a couple of hundred parents gathered to discuss the pupil-teacher ratio. Sufficient progress has not been made in this regard. The Government gave a commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government that the pupil-teacher ratio would be reduced to 20:1, which is not close to being achieved. It is time there was a realistic discussion with the Minister to try to ensure that what is happening in schools such as the one in Urlingford, where there is a pupil-teacher ratio of 36:1 in several classes, does not continue in future. There should be positive action on the issue as a matter of urgency.