Liam Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail)

While the criticism is unjustified, the sentiments expressed and the key issues raised in the motion are relevant to the central issues in primary education today. This is welcome. As for embracing Senator O'Toole's motion to form a composite motion, it would be necessary to introduce some significant amendments to the wording of his motion, before that could be possible, notwithstanding Government Members' welcome of the motion. As I stated, some of the key issues mentioned, such as class sizes, educational disadvantage, special needs and the increasing numbers of newcomer pupils to our primary schools, pose some of the real challenges in primary education today.

The amendment fairly, accurately and reasonably reflects the unambiguous commitment of the Government to all primary school children. As I have stated, the issues outlined by Senator O'Toole are key, because they help to direct our focus on the need to deliver opportunities to all children, irrespective of their abilities, interests and cultures. As the Government delivers on the key issues, it acknowledges that every child deserves the chance to reach its full potential. I agree with Senators O'Toole and Ross that the child is and must be at the centre of this debate, irrespective of the reference towards the end of the motion to teachers' pay and allowances for principals.

As the amendment points out, the Government is delivering, as far as all the key areas are concerned. I will outline some of its delivery highlights during recent years. First, every primary school now has the services of a resource teacher. No reasonable primary school principal or teacher will deny that this is a significant step forward. Since last year, a total of 600 extra resource teachers have been put in place. Moreover, as has already been stated frequently in this House in the past year, more than 5,000 additional teachers have been brought into service in the primary school sector. Most have rightly been targeted at special needs and educational disadvantage. The pupil-teacher ratio has been reduced from 22:1 in 1997, to 17:1 today. At present, the big issue is of course class size. Class sizes have been reduced from 27:1 to 24:1 over the same period.

I will now consider the developments planned for this year and next year. As all Members must admit, the education sector did well in the budget. Its current expenditure allocation has been increased by 9% and now exceeds €7 billion. A total of 500 additional primary teachers will be introduced into schools during the next two years. They will ensure smaller class sizes and will be targeted at educational disadvantage. Moreover, the Minister has requested primary school principals to deploy them at junior school level in the first instance. Educational disadvantage has also been targeted through increasing aid for school books grants by 25%. As for the old chestnut of the capitation grant, it will come to €146 per pupil this year, in contrast to the figure of €57 per pupil, which was payable in 1997.

Last year, as all Members are all aware, the Minister launched the delivering equality of opportunity in schools programme, DEIS. The Minister intends to discuss it in more detail. Its implementation is well under way and it has many interesting features, to which Senator O'Toole and, more briefly, Senator Ross have referred. Given the programme's enormous significance for schools, principals and teachers, I join with Senator O'Toole in paying tribute to our principals and primary school teachers for the enthusiasm with which they have embraced all the many new initiatives which have been targeted at educational disadvantage and special needs in recent years. The degree of professionalism that is in evidence in the face of these significant challenges is commendable.

Equally, we must pay tribute to them for the manner in which they have embraced the involvement of parents at the very centre of the delivery of education, both in terms of special education and in the context of the special educational needs Act. The Act has significant implications for the interaction between principals and parents, class teachers and parents and indeed among principals, parents and the community, as well as for the new post of the special educational needs organiser, SENO. This level of outreaching by teachers and principals in highly commendable. Having paid tribute in this regard, I must also insist that there has been a definite, coherent, consistent and ongoing programme of delivery by the Government and its immediate predecessor during its term of office from 1997 to 2002, to target these areas of special need. This has enabled our schools to have better learning outcomes, to provide equality of opportunity and to deliver for all pupils.

Under this Minister, children with special needs and disadvantaged children have received the first call on resources. The Minister and her immediate predecessors have targeted the 5,000 additional teachers at special needs and educational disadvantage. No one, inside or outside the education sector, could quibble with this and it was the correct priority. The provision of 500 extra teachers in the next two years has been budgeted for, and is backed by the Minister for Finance. This will be aimed at lowering class sizes and the reduction by one point of the class size ratio in mainstream schools. This constitutes significant progress.

The Government can hold its head high across the spectrum of special education and educational disadvantage. Significant resources have been poured in to tackle educational disadvantage in recent years. Apart from the appointment of 5,000 additional resource teachers, the reading recovery programme was introduced while the key feature of the delivering equality of opportunity in schools programme is intervention at an early age to help children so that the problems they experience do not become entrenched. Breakfast and homework clubs and summer programmes greatly benefit young pupils, particularly on the north side of Dublin, which I represent. The improvement in school attendance, motivation and achievement as a result of these initiatives has been remarkable.

I commend the amendment because it accurately, fairly and reasonably encapsulates the unstinting commitment and determination of the Minister and her predecessors to deliver additional resources to schools so that principals and teachers can provide a more professional service while targeting the most needy. Over the next few years, the Minister will address class size in mainstream schools on an ongoing basis, without the need to set targets, as proposed by Senator O'Toole.