Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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I will make another couple of points. I would like some more feedback from our three sets of guests about the crucial issue of financing and funding at school level. A particular issue has arisen with regard to special needs assistants and resource teachers in recent times. I would be particularly interested to hear feedback from the General Synod of the Church of Ireland and the Catholic Primary School Management Association in this regard. What are school authorities saying about the impact these changes are having at school level? What impact are they having on resource teaching, particularly at the back end of the year when demand increases? Have students on the ground been experiencing reductions in hours as a result of the SNA cap staying the same despite an increase of 10% in demand? It was only last week, after they had closed for the summer, that schools were notified of resource teacher and SNA allocations. I understand from the feedback I have received that this created exceptional difficulties for school management.

I would like to get feedback on two other points, the first of which is the burden that VAT notification has placed on schools when administering VAT, for example, by making VAT returns. The lack of a threshold in this regard means that school managers have a responsibility to make a VAT return when it brings in a plumber to do €100 worth of work. I would also like our witnesses to comment on the issue of procurement. How do they think that is affecting schools? I know of many local businesses that in the past have been able to provide better value - or as good value, in many instances - than might be provided under the national guidelines. It is important for such flexibility to continue to be provided as long as the savings are actually being made. I ask the witnesses to comment on that.