asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to a letter from Moyne Community School Parents' Association Committee (details supplied); and if, in view of the serious imbalance in the pupil/teacher ratio in that school, he will, as a matter of priority, sanction the appointment of the necessary number of teachers.

There is no imbalance in the pupil/teacher ratio in this school in the sense suggested by the Deputy and the appointment of any additional teachers would, accordingly, not be warranted.

Has the Parliamentary Secretary read the contents of the letters from the parents' committee and the management?

Yes.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary still maintain that there is no imbalance here?

The situation is that the number of teachers in this school, by comparison with the number of pupils, is very favourable when compared with that obtaining in other schools.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that those concerned are responsible people and that they would not write to public representatives in Longford, Leitrim and Cavan without having a just complaint?

I appreciate that they are responsible people and that they are anxious to do the best they can for their own school. It is the Minister's responsibility to ensure that there is a fair distribution of resources between all schools. I have already indicated that this school is doing as well, in the matter of allocation of teachers by comparison with the number of pupils, as similar schools in the country. Indeed, they are doing somewhat better.

I shall let those people have the Parliamentary Secretary's reply and I may come back to the matter again.