On behalf of the Dáil Technical Group, I wish to express our sincere sympathy and condolences to the parents, relatives and friends of the victims of the tragedy in Berkeley, California. Our thoughts and prayers are very much with those people at this time, as are the thoughts of the nation.

Primary education is under-staffed, under-funded and under-resourced. We have the largest class sizes in the EU. Every day approximately 550,000 children receive their education in the largest classes in Europe. Some 85% of Irish children are in classes greater than the European average of 21, and one in five is in a class of more than 30 children. Distressingly, fewer than 10% of Irish children are in classes which other EU countries call the norm. The consequences are obvious. Simply put, not every child in this State is getting the attention or time they deserve. The knock-on effect is twofold. Our teachers are not maximising their abilities and our children are losing ground through a system that fails to properly resource and nurture talent.

Irish teachers are among the most productive in the EU considering that they teach much bigger classes. Irish teachers have four times more students in their classes than their European counterparts. I am sure that the Taoiseach, as a former teacher himself, would acknowledge that we have to stand up for education. This means three things, namely, smaller classes, better funding and support for principals and teachers.

In a world that is changing rapidly, including constant changes to the needs of industry, we must ensure that our children have the proper foundations for their education. We need to be more ambitious for our children, in addition to acknowledging the transformative nature of properly funded education. At all times, education has the ability to break down the inequalities that exist in society.

Investment at that stage in a child's life will pay dividends in the long term both for the children and the general economy in future.

Will the Taoiseach and the Government set out a plan to reduce class sizes to the EU average, starting this year and to be fully achieved in a reasonable timeframe, let us say, over the lifetime of the next Government? I appeal to the Government not to forget to reverse the staffing cuts to pupils with special needs. They are not proper in a civilised society and it was certainly abnormal in the context of international standards to allow that to happen. Will the Government support school teachers by doubling the release time for teaching principals, paying the outstanding parity awards and building a middle management tier as well as ensuring a structure for primary and secondary level schools on parity?

I thank Deputy Fleming for his comments. Someone once said that the future of civilisation is being written in the classrooms. There is no question of the importance and priority being attached to education. Deputy Fleming mentioned three aspects, namely, smaller classes, better funding and support for teachers. We do not have all the money that we would like to invest in the education system, in primary, secondary, third level and fourth level. However, I believe serious progress is being made. It is true there are classes with too many pupils in many places in the country. On the other side, there are classes with too few pupils because of the drop in numbers in some of the schools. If we were to equalise them throughout the country we would probably have an average but that is not physically possible.

It is important to say that the programme and strategy set out by the Minister for Education and Skills is to eliminate all the prefabs over a period. The next bundle of schools has already been sent out to the public private partnership process to build and provide accommodation. The new facilities being provided for schools, particularly in the private sector, are exceptional, as is the impact of the summer works scheme, which allows great work to be done in a short period with necessary improvements in places throughout the country.

It is equally important for us to understand that there are few influences on the life and mind of a young person like a teacher who has the interest, motivation and capacity to inspire young minds. In many of the places I visit throughout the country in industry and in business we see our young people who have come through the education system. They are the envy of so many others. While the situation is not perfect, it is one that allows for people to reach their best. For those who, for one reason or another, have a challenge it is necessary to continue to supply special needs assistants and resource teachers.

Opportunity is given to schools to have greater devolved power to make choices in the subjects they wish to teach, be it short courses in secondary schools or whatever. There have been changes in the curriculum. The voluntary movement of CoderDojo, for instance, enables young children of six and seven years of age to understand the writing of code that drives the computers that change the frontiers up ahead. This is evident in many places throughout the country. The Minister for Education and Skills will consider the question of class sizes in the context of the forthcoming budget in October. These decisions cost money. I remember on the first occasion I took classes many years ago I think I had 65 in two classes. In such circumstances it is an impossibility to do the job properly, as Deputies will know.

I would like to think that we can have a system where we have competition within the class. Peer competition is important. In the context of the forthcoming budget the Minister will look at the question and the opportunity that might present itself to deal with the question Deputy Fleming has raised.

I welcome the Taoiseach's positive approach to addressing class sizes. This is further to the work of Deputy Finian McGrath, who informed me a minute ago that in his talks with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, she has also acknowledged the anomaly referred to. I am sure the Taoiseach will give her full support in sorting out the exercise and initiative to get that under way in the forthcoming announcements and budgets, etc.

Primary education is the foundation of the education system and the bedrock on which everything else is built. It is imperative that we give our primary school children a proper chance. No matter how much investment we deliver further up in the education system, it will never solve the problems that are sown by the short-changing and under-funding of the primary school system and our younger children. It is evident in many parts of our primary school system that Government funding does not cover ancillary costs, such as heating, lighting, information and communications technology, offices, etc. In many cases the parents and principals at local level have to sacrifice many things to make up the deficit - classroom equipment falls under this area as well - and that is not right. Vital equipment is being short-funded and this places considerable stress on the system, on parents, naturally, and on the principal as well. On top of this we have voluntary boards of management.

Sorry, Deputy.

They need more training and supports to bring up efficiency levels etc. It is only right that they can perform their job to satisfaction. The situation is also a deterrent to many people in respect of their participation in boards of management. They are reluctant to get involved. It is only fair that we bring them along on equal terms in the improvement of our education system.

I will make a comparison with Northern Ireland.

No, Deputy. You are way over time. I have given you a fair bit of latitude.

A principal of a three or four-teacher school gets 16 days a year to carry out his administrative, managerial and leadership roles, which is totally inadequate. In the North, for example, a teaching principal in a primary school gets one day a week free of class teaching to do the work. We need to give some concessions on this side of the Border.

Deputy Fleming has pointed out a number of issues that are of importance. Boards of management are the employers of the teachers. In most cases they are purely voluntary people. If difficulties arise in school situations it can be very trying for boards of management to make decisions to sort them out. Of course, people who work in the administration for particular schools work exceptionally hard for lower wages. However, I believe that the Minister has set out a clear strategy, particularly in respect of the primary system, both in respect of the support for teachers and support for schools. I acknowledge the exceptional commitment of so many people who fund-raise and do work in schools for sport, music, choirs and so on as a compliment while their children are moving through that system. I also recognise that where the State has been in a position to provide new and proper facilities for the primary system there are exceptional buildings, but that is all they are: buildings. More important is the potential and the opportunity for the teachers and the teaching staff to really bring their students on and bring out the best in them, irrespective of what level that is.

I go to schools that are twinned with schools in the United States, Australia, New Zealand or wherever. I see children given the opportunity to contact their peers in other countries to talk about their music, culture, sport and what it is they do. This gives them, as part of the Irish nation, an understanding of our place in the world.

The Minister, Deputy O'Sullivan, will meet with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, and the Minister for Finance in the preparation for the forthcoming budget. I have no doubt that the issues Deputy Fleming has raised will feature as part of those discussions and I hope that they can be progressed somewhat.