Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after ''Seanad Éireann'' and substitute the following:

''recognises the Government's approach to education expenditure which aims to provide for a quality primary and second level education system and to enable further education and training and higher education to make a full contribution to Ireland's development and recovery, consistent with overall prudent management of the Irish economy.

Acknowledges that:

- the Delivering Equality of Outcomes in Schools, DEIS, programme is delivered to 670 primary and 195 post-primary schools, and involves a range of supports which have been protected in budget 2012;

- DEIS urban band 1 primary schools will continue to have a lower pupil-teacher ratio than generally applies in primary schools, with an effective pupil-teacher ratio of 20:1 for junior classes, and 24:1 for senior classes;

- DEIS second level schools will benefit from a lower pupil teacher ratio of 18.25:1 from September 2012;

- over €158 million is being provided in additional resources and supports for primary and second level schools included in DEIS;

- there is no increase in the general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level;

- the overall number of resource teachers and special needs assistants for children with special education needs have been maintained at current levels. In addition, existing resources are being used to streamline and update the General Allocation

Model, GAM, allocation for all schools;

- implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy 2011-20 includes a commitment to support enhanced literacy and numeracy provision for students from socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds;

- as part of the budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools will be gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014;

- there are 3,200 primary schools across Ireland. Over two thirds of those schools have more than 86 pupils and have much higher average class sizes than the small primary schools;

- small schools receive much more favourable capitation and other grant payments due to the practice of minimum payments. For example, schools receive a minimum capitation payment based on a 60-pupil enrolment. This means that a school with 12 pupils receives the same capitation payment as a school with 60 pupils. Additionally, construction costs per pupil for capital projects are much higher in small schools than in larger schools;

- the existing staffing appeals process will be accessible to small schools that are due to lose a classroom post as a result of the budget measure but who are now projecting increased enrolments for September 2012 that would be sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term;

- guidance is a whole school activity and, while changes are being made to the way in which guidance counsellors will be allocated in future, all post-primary schools will still be required to provide guidance support to their students;

- in relation to higher education the Government is:

- prioritising access to higher education by maintaining supports provided to undergraduate students while continuing to provide resources for a relatively wide number of students studying at post-graduate level;

- reforming the application, assessment and payment processes for student supports, ensuring a better level of customer service for all those who use the student grant system;

and acknowledges that the plans set out by Government in Budget 2012 form an important step in returning Ireland's economy to a sound footing and regaining our economic sovereignty.''.

I welcome this motion on education proposed by the Fianna Fáil Senators and agree that investing in education will be crucial to Ireland's economic recovery. Many good points were made in that motion. I am pleased that the Fianna Fáil Party agrees that savings must be made in current expenditure. Its motion states there is a fairer and more economically strategic way to secure such savings. Unfortunately, unless we consider the recent proposal of Sinn Féin to increase the universal social charge on middle to higher income earners, we need to save in every Department. In those circumstances it is self-evident that the motion fails. Therefore, we on the Government side have no option but to submit a counter motion which recognises the Government's approach to education expenditure and aims to provide for a quality primary and second level education system and enable further education and training and higher education to make a full contribution to Ireland's development and recovery, consistent with overall prudent management of the Irish economy.

I acknowledge the points on DEIS schools about which Senator Power spoke passionately. I agree with her that these schools should be supported. I congratulate the schools in Darndale and other areas that have worked so hard to bring up literacy levels, which is very important. The Senator mentioned the ESRI reports. In its last two economic reports regarding education, the ESRI stated that the most important feature of the education system is the quality of teaching and learning. It stated specifically - these are not my words - these were counted above classroom sizes. With the new programmes in the DEIS schools we must acknowledge it was the teachers, objectively and irrespective of class sizes, who made the contribution to the raising of the standards. DEIS schools retain massive resources, with €158 million being provided in additional resources.

I accept the point made by Senator O'Brien that whereas the 28:1 ratio is a constant in schools not classified as small, when two schools are put together there might be a slight variation in that ratio. However, the overall number of resource teachers and special needs assistants remains constant.

Senator Power suggested that the Minister of State should look again at putting together the general allocation model and low incidence special needs hours in schools. In four-teacher schools and mixed schools there might be 20 hours, and one pupil with low incidence special needs. That would provide for a full teacher. That is a helpful suggestion.

In the present economic circumstances something must be done. There is an increase in the enrolment thresholds for the allocation and retention of teachers in small primary schools. Although any increase is regrettable the Minister must save money. He is seeking to do this in an equitable way. In the current circumstances I would hope the other side would agree that 12 pupils for two teachers in two-teacher schools is a rather small ratio. The increase to 20 over three years, as proposed, is reasonable, as is the increase from 49 to 56 in three-teacher schools and from 81 to 86 in four-teacher schools. I would point out, however, that the four-teacher school is at the heart of the rural community. I taught in one for many years, moving between four, five and six-teachers schools. If in future years economic circumstances allow that might be one of the first measures to be looked at and tweaked downwards again, perhaps to 84 from 86.

This is not just an issue for the west. County Louth has only two large towns and its rural hinterland has many small schools. Some schools in the county may not have had 83 pupils enrolled in September 2011 but may have more the following year. I have referred their principals who contacted me about this to the appeals process. Senator Power requested full information on enrolments from the Minister. He will be issuing a circular on this matter in the next several weeks, which will be the bible for principals.

With increased numbers at third level, it is unfortunately not possible to grant aid postgraduate students from 2012. The alternative would be to introduce fees for undergraduates.