Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on the representations from a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41748/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken.

When the country was able to afford it the Government reduced the basis on which primary teachers are allocated to schools from being based on an average number of pupils per teacher from 35 pupils down to the current level of 27 pupils. The change to a new average of 28 pupils per teacher has to be viewed in that context. Significant additional support went into schools particularly in the area of special education. The Government also reduced class sizes for the most disadvantaged in our DEIS schools to an average of 1 teacher for every 20 pupils in Junior classes and an average of 1 teacher for every 24 pupils in Senior classes and these will not be changing in 2009. When one adds up all the teachers in the system there is 1 teacher for every 16 pupils in our primary schools.

I am confident that as the global economy improves it will be possible to build again on the significant achievements of recent years and do so in a manner consistent with overall prudent management of the Irish economy.