Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senators for the lively contributions we have heard during this debate. There is always a very high standard of debate in Seanad Éireann.

It is clear that the quality of our education system is as close to the heart of many Senators as it is to the Department of Education and Science. Maintaining quality and ensuring the best educational outcomes for our children is central to what we have been debating this evening. The issues raised, from class size, the high calibre of students going into teaching, the quality of work in the classroom in catering for pupils from diverse cultures and backgrounds and integrating children with special needs are all core issues that the Department has been prioritising for some time.

As has been stated, the level of Government expenditure on education has trebled in the last ten years. Today we spend €8.4 billion on education. A particular focus of this expenditure in recent years has been to offset the effects of disadvantage at primary and second level. Almost 50,000 pupils in schools in disadvantaged areas are now in classes of reduced size. This year nearly €730 million will be spent on tacking disadvantage and a further €820 million will be spent on educational provision for pupils with special needs. It is incumbent on all of us to ensure this level of expenditure is spent wisely and that the ultimate beneficiaries are the pupils.

While some may criticise the Government for not meeting the target on class sizes outlined in An Agreed Programme for Government, we make no apology for the decision to prioritise resource allocation to pupils with special educational needs, those in disadvantaged communities and those who need help with their English. Now that these priorities have been largely addressed, extra teachers are being provided in the current and 2007-08 school years to reduce class sizes in primary schools.