Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I add my voice to calls for a debate on the letters sent to victims of abuse. I welcome the Taoiseach's statement at my party's Ard-Fheis on the appointment of an additional 4,000 teachers. Given that the Green Party has indicated to INTO that it is committed to recruiting an extra 2,400 teachers, I am sure Senators from all parties and the Independent Members will support proposals for more teachers.

Having attended many meetings on class size, I find it difficult to understand the reason teachers are still being appointed on the basis of enrolment figures for the previous September. This is a frustrating practice for schools, some of which will have lost a teacher because the number of enrolments declined by one pupil over the previous two years but increased above the threshold in the current year. This issue should be debated in future partnership talks.