asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that special subjects such as physical training and music are now being dropped from school curricula as a result of the new pupil-teacher ratio; whether he is prepared to make concessions in regard to these subjects and, in particular, where the teachers are employed part-time.

I do not accept that the case is as stated by the Deputy. Schools have, in the past, been teaching these subjects when they were operating on a higher pupil-teacher ratio than that which will be in operation under the new quota regulations.

However, any special cases of difficulty may be put before the review committee which I have provided to examine such cases.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio from 15 to 20 is a retrograde step and that it will force small schools to drop these types of courses in favour of what some people might consider to be more academic subjects? These subjects are just as important a part of education as the academic subjects.

I am aware that up to 90 per cent of the schools were already operating on a higher ratio than 1 to 20 before the new proposal on the pupil-teacher ratio was introduced.

44.

asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware of the problem of small classes for certain subjects in A2 secondary schools; and the concessions he is willing to make on the pupil-teacher ratio in this regard.

I have made provision for a review committee to examine special cases of difficulty under the new quota. The problems of A2 schools would be appropriate for that committee.