Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I am delighted to welcome the increase in capitation to help with the day-to-day costs of running schools, a point every speaker made during the debate on the Fine Gael motion on underfunding of primary education. It is not as much as we would like but it is a step in the right direction. I am flabbergasted, however, by the increase in pupil-teacher ratio. It should have been an untouchable for a Minister with responsibility for education. Irish children are now officially in the largest classes of the 27 EU countries. It will mean no jobs for 400 new teachers, 200 at primary level and 200 at secondary level.