Mr. John Boyle:

Ar son Chumann Múinteoirí Éireann, gabhaim céad buíochas leis an gcoiste as an gcuireadh a tugadh dom agus do mo chomhghleacaí, Ms Deirdre O'Connor, chun labhairt anseo inniu. Ms O'Connor and I went to small rural schools, in Donegal and Monaghan, respectively, in the 1970s at a time which was challenging for rural education. We are still very involved in our union, the INTO, in promoting and continuing the proud tradition of the INTO for over 148 years of supporting not only our teachers' work and conditions, but also our local communities because many of the 3,200 plus schools are at the centre of their local communities.

We made a detailed submission to the coiste. Ms O'Connor will lead off by taking the coiste through it and I will take the second half. This is a timely engagement. Over the last number of recessionary years there have been huge pressures on our small rural schools, and, indeed, on all our schools. It is a wonderful opportunity, as we come out of recession, to try to support those communities and the teachers who work in them in the next number of years under this new Government.