Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their contributions. I echo the comments of my colleagues in commending Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin on his work in this area. It is an area in which he has a huge interest and he has dedicated much of his time to it. I commend him on doing that.

I wish to focus on two areas, uniforms and books. In regard to uniforms, I was travelling from Glenbeigh to Caherciveen on Monday evening doing my clinic round and listening to George Hook interviewing the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. It was quite an interesting interview. The issue of the tracksuit came up and George Hook said what a practical uniform it can be. I would have to agree with him. I remember my days in primary school when there was no uniform but usually a tracksuit was worn to school. It was a very practical and adaptable form of clothing. One could be sliding around in the muck playing soccer or football and a few minutes later in the classroom the muck could be brushed off and one would be dry. It is a very affordable uniform for parents. We need to be practical in the way we look at how we dress children going to school. That is an issue that should be examined. The day of the one or two shops being the only shops providing a very formal uniform with a crest are long gone. We need to modernise and be sensible in our approach to this issue.

In regard to schoolbooks, I welcome that the State is intervening and assisting in the rental schemes. That is a positive development. I am concerned that we are not getting the bang for our buck that we could be getting. Mr. Don Myers mentioned, rightly, the substantial difference in costs of textbooks from the various suppliers. It is important to point out-----