Liam Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:

"Seanad Éireann

commends the Government on hiring 4,000 more primary teachers since 2002 and 7,000 since 1997;

notes that last year there were 80,000 fewer primary schoolchildren in classes of 30 or more than in 1997, while the number of children in classes of 35 or more was just one fifth of the 1997 level;

supports the priority given in recent years to providing vastly improved services for children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas;

appreciates that another 800 primary teachers will be hired next September, with the focus on reducing class sizes;

welcomes the extra supports being provided for children in disadvantaged areas under the DEIS action plan, with a particular emphasis on early intervention in literacy and numeracy;

recognises that with the measures put in place to promote school completion and increase access to second chance education, 86% of Irish 20 to 24 year olds now have upper second level education or equivalent, way ahead of the EU average of 78%;

welcomes the extra staff being provided for the NEWB and NEPS in 2007, 2008 and 2009;

commends the Government on the unprecedented level of investment in school buildings in recent years which has benefited thousands of schools;

further commends the provision of €4.5 billion for the school building and modernisation programme under the National Development Programme 2007-2013; and

welcomes the more than €250 million being provided for schools' ICT under the NDP, which will be supported by a comprehensive new ICT strategy."

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, and congratulate him on his appointment. It is the first opportunity I have had to welcome him in his capacity as Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science. I have no doubt that his commitment to education, his learning as a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and his understanding of the issues throughout my neighbouring constituency of Dublin North Central make him well equipped to take on the challenges ahead. I wish him every success.

I was confused and intrigued upon reading the Fine Gael motion and wondered what was its purpose or the agenda behind it.