asked the Minister for Education the current status of Circular 20/87, in the light of her announcement on 22 January 1988 of a review of primary school education; if the circular has been withdrawn; if it has been suspended; if it remains in operation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

132.

asked the Minister for Education if she will make a statement regarding the present status of Circular 20/87.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 132 together.

I would refer the Deputies to my reply to Question No. 205 of 8 December 1987, in which I indicated that no changes under Circular 20/87 would take place before the end of June 1988, in order to give the Primary Quota Review Committee the opportunity to carry out their task. This remains the position.

Will the Minister clarify if Circular 20/87 has been superseded by the Primary Quota Review Committee, any other committee or by another circular?

No. Circular 20/87 has been suspended until the end of June to allow the quota review committee to carry out their investigations and findings which will be considered quite shortly by the Department and myself. The circular has not been superseded.

Can we take it that Circular 20/87 will be implemented from 1 September 1988?

Circular 20/87 has been suspended until the end of June to enable the quota review committee, which have carried out a very comprehensive review school by school, to put their findings together to fulfil the necessary requirements. The position has not altered since early December when I previously answered this question.

There are so many committees that I am not sure of their names but one yesterday, chaired by Professor Thomas Murphy, broke down. In view of the extremely important annual meetings of the teachers' unions — I am sure the Minister is looking forward to them as I always did——

Tongue in cheek.

——does the Minister not consider it terribly important to clarify the situation? The important review committee were unable to conduct their meeting yesterday because the Taoiseach told them they would deal with current difficulties but the chairman said they could not. I urge the Minister to clarify these matters before the teachers' conferences so that there will not be unnecessary confusion and alarm among parents and teachers.

There is absolutely no need for confusion and alarm. In answer to Deputy Hussey's snide comment about committees, I note that in the action plan for education of the previous Government, she intended to set up 47 committees, although not many of them got off the ground. With regard to the major primary review which Professor Murphy has promised to chair, they did not break down and are meeting next Monday. It remains a very important review and we are very pleased that the participants will act. Like Deputy Hussey, I am greatly looking forward to Easter week. Some people will be on holidays but I will be doing my rounds. I am satisfied that the Government, the Department and I will do the very best for education.

I would like to clarify exactly where we stand on this issue. Circular 20/87 was issued in order to change the pupil-teacher ratio and was described as a revision of schedule 17 of the rules of national schools. Can we take it that Circular 20/87 has been suspended, that or the——

We have had that question a few times earlier. We are having repetition.

——and that schedule 17 of the rules for national schools will remain in place unchanged by Circular 20/87 or 24/87?

Perhaps I did not make myself clear or perhaps we did not get into open communication.

It was not clear.

It is daffodil day. Circular 20/87 is suspended pending the quota review findings. The schedule of enrolments needed for the provision of teachers in September 1988 will be based on the quote review findings which will have gathered the information school by school.

Deputy Harney. I am anxious to get to a few other questions also.

I will facilitate Deputies if they will be brief and relevant.

On 24 November in the Dáil the Minister said that if the quota review committee's deliberations resulted in the pupil-teacher ratio remaining the same as it is now "so be it". Can the Dáil, therefore, today take from the Minister's reply that there is every possibility that the quota review committee's deliberations will result in the same pupil-teacher ratio without a withdrawal of Circular 20/87?

No, because the quota review committee has conducted its school-by-school examination, it has gathered the information and is now going through it school-by-school based on the need to keep school class numbers as low as possible within our existing constraints. I am not yet in a position to give the findings of that quota review but I will bring them to the Dáil, no doubt, in reply to a Dáil question in due time.

When this committee reports will all the findings for every school in the country be brought to this House? The reason I ask that, a Cheann Comharile, is that you refused to take a question of mine that referred to my constituency.

The Deputy ought not advert to that matter at all.

I want to know whether each and every school——

They were good and cogent reasons as to why the Deputy's question was refused and he knows that fully.

May I ask the Minister if she will indicate when the report of the quota review committee is expected to be received and the composition of the committee? Does she expect to make an announcement on the results of her consideration thereof in May or will she wait until June?

I expect that the findings and the possible avenues of action will be announced in late April or May.

You will be announcing the findings?

Yes. I am sure it will be the subject of questions and in that way there will be an announcement.