Government criticised for failure to control pupil/teacher ratio

THE Government’s failure to plan education facilities has left more than half the children in west Dublin schools in some of the country’s most overcrowded classes, the Labour Party has claimed.

The party’s Dublin West TD, Joan Burton, was reacting to Department of Education figures showing that 89 of the 167 classes in 10 primary schools in Dublin 15 have at least 30 pupils, more than double the national average, as one-in-four of the country’s primary pupils are in classes of 30 or more.

The figures supplied by Education Minister Mary Hanafin in reply to Dáil questions from Ms Burton, reveal that the situation is far worse in some cases.

At St Ciarán’s National School in Hartstown, there are at least 30 children in 19 of 24 (79%) of the classes and the proportion is at least 65% in three other schools.

“The ongoing failure of the Fianna Fáil/PD government to recognise and plan for the extraordinary growth in population numbers in west Dublin means many children going to school in Castleknock, Blanchardstown, Huntstown, Hartstown and Clonee face years in overcrowded classrooms,” Ms Burton said. “This is a damning indictment of the failure of the minister, who must take responsibility for the distress being caused to excellent teachers, parents and the whole community.”

Ms Burton said a feature of all the schools in the area is the high number of international children, particularly in junior classes.

“The majority of them need intensive language support, which means the pressure on these schools to cater for both local Irish children and the special needs of the new international children is enormous. So far it has been the dedication of principals, teachers and parents which has enabled the schools to cope, but it cannot continue without serious extra resources.”

She said the department’s strategy to encourage schools in the area to increase to four streams means the next generation will remain in the country’s most overcrowded classrooms.

The Government response to school planning and class size issues will be outlined by Ms Hanafin in reply to a Labour Party-Fine Gael motion debated in the Dáil today and tomorrow.

Her Commission on School Accommodation has published development plans for four regions — Mountmellick /Mountrath in the Midlands, the N4 /M4 route in Kildare and Westmeath, Westport /Newport in Mayo and North Kerry — to deal with the rise in demand for school places.