Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

With all due respect to stag hunters, I am much more concerned about the issue of education in rural areas. My party will continue to hold the Government to account on its promises on stag hunting.

Government Senators have not had the courage of their convictions on the issue of guidance counsellors, about which all of them have complained. We do not believe the promised review of DEIS schools will be a proper review as we have not been given any commitments on the issue.

On the issue of learning support and the general allocation of resource teachers and resource hours, an entirely new system is about to be introduced which is causing considerable disquiet in schools. Many of them have contacted me on the issue, including the principal of Gaelscoil na Rithe in Dunshaughlin where two posts will be filled by seven people, not all of whom will be able to comply with the ethos of the school. Although they are all good people, not all of them will be fluent Irish speakers. The school principal cannot understand how the new system, which arises from a division of responsibility between the Department and the National Council for Special Education, will save money. Not only will it not achieve savings, it will cause considerable upset and disquiet in schools. I ask the Minister to ascertain whether the proposals on the general allocation, which will be made shortly if they have not been made already, will save money or cause unnecessary problems for schools. As schools discover what is being proposed, they are becoming upset and worried and contacting local public representatives.

We must stand up for small schools. As the House heard, parents in Leenane must drive 20 miles to bring their children to school. I am aware of a case in another area where parents must drive 45 miles to reach the nearest Church of Ireland school. It is pointless to argue about the unfairness of a low pupil-teacher ratio because such arguments do not take account of the distances pupils must travel to school or the fact that teachers in the schools in question must teach several classes and still achieve good results for their pupils. Nor does it take into account the traditions of local areas and the issue of parental choice. The Minister of State may be surprised to learn that there are 25 schools with four teachers or fewer in County Meath and a further 25 schools with 100 pupils or fewer, all of which will be affected by the Government's proposal. These schools are fearful and do not accept the guff from the Government that it does not have options. That is nonsense.