An extra investment of at least £26 million is needed for the second-level school system to enable it to continue to provide a quality education for our young people, argues ASTI assistant general-secretary John White. "Second-level education in this country feels entirely neglected currently and the forthcoming budget must give a significant gesture of support if morale is not to diminish significantly," he says.

In its pre-budget submission, the union is calling for an increase of £15 in the capitation grant to voluntary second-level schools and a prorata increase for community and comprehensive school budgets and VEC allocations, at a cost of £6 million; provision for two hours' release from classroom duties for assistant principals (£4 million) and supervisory assistance for lunch-time supervision (£1.3 million).

The union also wants phased improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio. This, according to the ASTI, could be achieved over a number of years without additional cost to the exchequer, because of demographic changes. Meanwhile, a further £15 million is needed for school accommodation improvements, the ASTI says.

"Ireland is currently spending 54 per cent of the OECD average per second-level pupil," says White. "This is a decline since 1992 when Ireland spent 60 per cent of the OECD average on second-level education." The pupil-teacher ratio in Irish second-level schools was 15:1 in 1973 when Ireland was a relatively poor country, he notes." Now that we are a thriving and successful economy the pupil-teacher ratio has increased to 19:1, while the average English, Irish, maths and history class is nearer 30:1. After a quarter of a century of economic development teachers are labouring under greater burdens than ever before and they find that hard to understand."