Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Renua Ireland)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will commit to provide support to primary education in Budget 2016 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33676/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about further improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers. I am determined that education should be prioritised for investment as our economy recovers and I will be seeking to agree a set of priorities for such increased investment into the future. In the last Budget, I was able to secure the first increase in education spending in recent years. I am determined to continue pressing the case for increased investment in education in the forthcoming budget.

The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.