Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

The Government firmly believes that the benefits accruing from the re-targeting of resources towards the most vulnerable pupils outweighed a general reduction in class sizes in the first instance.

My Department is conscious of its responsibilities with regard to quality in the system. Every year evaluations are carried out in a range of educational settings and now whole school evaluation reports are published on the Department's website. Additionally, a number of composite reports have been published on the thematic evaluations carried out by the inspectorate. Previous publications aimed at the primary sector examined literacy and numeracy in some disadvantaged primary schools, the impact of school development planning on pupil learning and how primary school curriculum subjects are being implemented.

The reports are published to inform a wider audience about the quality of the education system and also to promote professional debate and dialogue with a view to bringing about further improvement. The report we are discussing Learning to Teach examined student teacher progress during their final period of teaching practice in primary schools. Teaching practice is a core element in initial teacher education because it focuses on real work in classrooms. During teaching practice students have an opportunity to bring theory and practice together and to experience being in a class of children perhaps for the first time since they were pupils in primary school.

It is an intensely challenging time for student teachers and the final grade ultimately awarded by their college depends to a great extent on how well they do in the classroom. The inspectorate in my Department has worked for many years with the colleges to monitor the standards of teaching practice in schools with a view to ensuring that the high level of achievement is maintained. The inspectorate has considerable experience in this area as every other year inspectors work with newly qualified teachers during the probationary period.

I am conscious that it is now 7 p.m. and that a number of questions were asked during the debate. The questions will be taken on board and I am sure that the Minister will respond in due course in the context of forthcoming debates on education. We have had a good debate. The quality of debate in the Seanad is always impressive and I say that as a former Senator. Education is a very important subject and close to the heart of Senators and that was demonstrated here this evening. I look forward to ongoing debate on all these issues.