15/06/07
Green Party Dublin 15 representative, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the strong provisions on education included within the new Programme for Government negotiated with Fianna Fail.
“The Green Party has had a major impact on the section on education contained within the Programme for Government. Key to this is the commitment to invest an extra €350 million per year over the lifetime of the Government into education services. The issue of class sizes is addressed by a commitment to ensure that class sizes are reduced to one teacher to 24 pupils by 2010/11. I was particularly pleased that the Green Party negotiators were able to secure long-term funding for the existing 12 ABA schools catering for autistic children, thus guaranteeing their future”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.
“Planning for new schools was something I campaigned hard on during the General Election in Dublin West. I am delighted to see commitments within the Programme for Government to ensure that rezoning for residential developments will now have to be accompanied by a commitment regarding land for schools and that the manner in which sites for schools can be obtained will be reformed. New procedures will be put in place to ensure that local authorities have to plan for new schools or extensions to existing schools in their area. Finally, a Developing Areas Unit will be established in the Department of Education. This will undertake the same role as the Strategic Planning Unit proposed by the Green Party and will be effective in identifying where new schools are needed and ensuring their swift delivery”.
“Obviously, having something written down in a Programme for Government is one thing, but implementation is another. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Dail and our two new Green Party Ministers in ensuring that the commitments we have made are delivered upon”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.
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