School Staff
Dail Éireann — 2026-10-01
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Louise O'Reilly (SF), Dublin Fingal West

The school is due to lose the teacher on 23 October. In his closing remarks the Minister of State might advise us how this is going to work, given that the deadline is looming. He might also advise us whether he believes that 33 children in a classroom is acceptable. I will tell him on my behalf that 33 children in a classroom is very much not acceptable. That is not a good learning environment for children to have. That is not a good environment for teachers, SNAs and the wider school community to have to deal with. That is not an environment that is conducive to being able to do the best for children with additional needs, and there are many in this school. Parents are frantic. Of course they can engage in the appeals process, but the date they are due to lose the teacher is 23 October. I urge the Minister of State to tell me if he thinks 33 children in a classroom is okay. When we know the OECD average is 21, the EU average is 19, we are looking at 33 in a junior school in Skerries. It is not acceptable. The Minister of State might confirm in his remarks if he or the Government think it is acceptable, because I really do not.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-10-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:01:00+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-10-01