Vol. 377 No. 8
asked the Minister for Education if she will appoint a review body to investigate the effects of the proposed cuts in education which inevitably increase the pupil-teacher ratio in vocational education committee schools; if this body will take into consideration the particular effect this will have for the most deprived and disadvantaged areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
69.
asked the Minister for Education if she will confirm that a review of post-primary education is to be initiated by her Department; if she will give details of the funding allocated for the work of that committee and the most recently established primary review committee; and if the new pupil-teacher ratio of 20:1 in vocational schools will be enforced before the post-primary review is completed.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 69 together. I plan to keep the needs of post-primary education, from curriculum to resource provision, continually under review.
That is an extraordinarily unsatisfactory answer. We have had intimations of meetings with the Taoiseach and promises of post-primary reviews. There have been 12,000 people descending on Athlone to protest against the new pupil-teacher ratio of 20:1. The Minister was asked if she would confirm that a review of post-primary education is to be initiated by her Department. She was asked if she would give details of the funding allocated for the work of that review. She was asked if the new pupil-teacher ratio of 20:1 would be enforced before that review was completed. Would the Minister now tell us if there is to be any review of the post-primary sector, if the Taoiseach has met the unions to discuss that issue and if a 20:1 pupil-teacher ratio in the vocational community comprehensive sector is to be enforced?
What happened the Deputy in her questioning was that she galloped on as if she knew the answer to the first question. The Taoiseach and I have not met with any post-primary teaching unions. These unions have requested such a meeting and I am of opinion that such a meeting will be facilitated in the near future. That leads one to make assumptions about further measures. I am aware that a number of people, not 12,000, were in my native town and brought great business to that town while they were there.
That was not the reason that they were there.
A great asset.
The traders of that town were delighted with themselves. I am going to have all the fishermen there on Saturday also. The Government intend to move to equalisation of teacher provision at second level, a move that Deputy Hussey herself initiated in her term of office when she instructed VECs to move between a band of 17 to 19 and arrive at 19 as quickly as possible. I hope that in the years ahead the equalisation will be downwards, particularly when the demographic trend would show that. A review has been mooted by the teachers' unions, but we have yet to meet them formally, either in the Department of Education, or in conjunction with the Taoiseach. I am sure that meeting will be facilitated in the near future. Again — this is a leap in the dark — perhaps such an issue would be raised at that meeting. As regards a formal written request to me or to the Department, such a meeting has not yet been sought. When it is sought, I hope that it will be facilitated.
A final supplementary question. Can the Minister confirm that the savings of over £4 million on the vocational, community and comprehensive new PTR and the savings of over £6 million on Circular 20/87 implementation remain firm budgetary figures for 1988?
I have already answered that question.
No, the Minister has not.
In early December I answered that question, saying that any savings that would fall to be made would be found in the Votes. As last year's record shows, we proved to be very good managers in the Department of Education. It is my aim to be as good this year as I was last year.
That must be the conclusion of questions, ordinary and nominated for priority, for today.
