FROM: Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin T.D. (19th March 2007)

Government has delivered 5,000 extra school teachers in 5 years - Priorities matched resources to the greatest need - Minister Hanafin

New figures released today by the Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin shows that there are almost 29,000 primary school teachers working with children in schools around the country - a massive increase of 5,000 in just five years.

Minister Hanafin said that the Government has responded to increasing demands on our education system by targeting resources at the areas that most need support.

"Primary teacher numbers remained at a static 20,000 or so for three decades in the 70's, 80's and into the 90's. No account was taken of the diverse needs of our young school going population, especially those children with special needs.

Then a decade ago, when Bertie Ahern became Taoiseach, he wanted to transform the thinking on education. This meant responding to the needs of a diverse young population, needing the support of quality teachers across the system."

Since then an extra 10,000 teachers are on the Department's payroll and are working in schools across the primary and post primary sectors.

"We have matched the teaching resources to the greatest need," said Minister Hanafin, "and make no apology for doing so".

"No-one could have anticipated the new priorities that emerged in the past five years - the increase in newcomer children arriving in schools, the extra supports needed to provide a resource or learning support teacher in every primary school to help children with special needs or the drive to remove economic disadvantage as a barrier to education and attainment."

The new figures show that nationally the numbers of primary school teachers has increased by over one third in the past decade alone, with some counties, such as Meath and Kildare, showing increases in teacher numbers of two thirds in that period.

Minister Hanafin went on to say "we moved last September to reduce class size and we are doing so again this September. An extra 800 primary school teachers are already sanctioned for this coming September.These are being targeted at class size, special needs and disadvantage as well as demographic increases.

Minister Hanafin said that while she accepts the need to reduce primary class sizes further in the years ahead, it should be acknowledged just how much has been achieved. "The average class size has been reduced from 27 to 24. With all the extra support teachers now in place, there is one teacher for every 17 primary school children - down from one for 22.

These additional teachers have made an immeasurable difference to the lives of all children in our schools and are also providing a vital backup for their classroom teachers. Their work and support for newcomer and special needs children as well as children in disadvantaged areas has to be acknowledged," concluded Minister Hanafin.

Michael KENNEDY discusses Dublin North's education needs with Mary Hanafin T.D. (Minister for Education & Science)

Please also visit: www.michaelkennedy.ie/news/schools.htm