asked the Minister for Education if a date has been fixed for the meeting of the Central Review Committee under the Programme for National Recovery to examine the proposed disimprovement of the pupil/teacher ratio at vocational, community and comprehensive schools as agreed by Dáil Éireann on 9 March, 1988.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pupil/Teacher Ratio.
37.
Arrangements for convening the committee in accordance with the terms of the resolution passed by Dáil Éireann are being discussed with the parties involved. The proposed date for the meeting is Monday 28 March at 3 p.m.
I am glad we have been able to elicit that information and that the Government have so speedily fulfilled the terms of the Fine Gael amendment as passed by the Dáil on 9 March. Will the Minister assure the House that no circular will be issued from her Department regarding any change in the pupil/teacher ratio in vocational, community or comprehensive schools until the conclusion of the Central Review Committee's work on this issue.
It is a PD amendment.
I have been having discussions on that matter and I understand that the date for the conclusion of the review — it is invidious to talk about conclusion when they have not begun — will be prior to the anticipated date of the issue of the aforementioned circular.
In accordance with the PD amendment.
Does the Minister envisage this meeting taking place under the aegis of the Taoiseach's Department? Will she be present at the meeting and how many of the social partners and different groups will be present at the meeting?
The details of that have yet to be worked out but it is assumed that the machinery which exists already for various subcommittees of the Central Review Committee will be utilised in this instance.
Will the TUI and the National Parents' Council be involved?
I want to make progress on other questions.
Only in the past 24 hours have we been enabled to have a proposal for a date put forward. I understand machinery is in place for such subcommittees and that pattern will be followed.