Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

Many parents may not have been in a position to complete their schooling, as a result of which many of them have a difficulty with reading and writing. Those parents cannot help their children in sixth year in secondary school with their homework, but the home-school-community liaison scheme is in place, which is greatly supported. That scheme is available to those students and it has made a major difference. The involvement of parents in the education of their children is crucial. Such involvement should be encouraged and, in that respect, small changes make a significant difference. The participation of teachers in parent-teacher meetings after school hours is a major change. It means both parents can attend if they wish and single parents can attend after work. Such a small change makes a significant difference.

The Estimates provision will result in the allocation of an additional 1,900 teachers over the next two years, which will reduce class sizes. In most schools principals have time to walk around the school and check the position, which was not the case previously.

Particular attention is paid in the Estimates to provision for the areas of disability and disadvantage. The focus is on educational inclusion. The exclusion of people from education is detrimental to their future potential. That was recognised on the Government side of the House at an early stage. The more we can do to continue to pour resources into that area, the better. The figures for education speak for themselves. Any teacher throughout the country will confirm that teaching is a difficult job. It has always been so but it has been made a little less difficult now owing to the changes that have taken place, especially in the area of special needs education and disadvantaged areas.

The benefits achieved are not only for those areas but for the country as a whole. We have a young, vibrant, well educated workforce, the members of which are much sought after throughout the world. As has been said here many times, we are the envy of most of Europe and elsewhere in the world. That achievement did not happen by chance or without strong governance. We can be accused of many things, but not of a lack of success in that area.