Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh. I welcome the witnesses this afternoon. I enjoyed their presentations and statements and found them very informative. It is a useful excercise and I am sure they themselves enjoyed the statements and contributions from their colleagues around the table.

In the part of the world that I come from this particular issue is in many ways a foreign land. We do not have this problem. It is actually the complete opposite. As one drives around the boreens of County Monaghan or County Donegal, where I come from, one constantly sees billboards for schools that are having open days. They are encouraging parents and children to come along to those open nights so that the school can display its wares. It is a new and welcome development that has come to light in recent years. Although I do not doubt its sincerity, it is important that we get a sense of perspective on this particular debate. We should recognise that we have a problem but also that, thankfully, the problem is very much confined to certain areas. Those areas have been highlighted here this afternoon.

The issue is fundamentally about resources. It is about lack of school places which, as I said, is the complete opposite to the experience we have in rural Ireland. I would say in most parts of rural Ireland the experience would be similar to that which I have outlined. I think it was Dr. Fennelly who used the words order and calm in his contribution. They are very apt in this particular debate. It is important that we, as a committee, listen to all sides. We should keep a sense of perspective in relation to the actual problem and its size but should not ignore the fact that in some instances there is a problem. It is important that we address that. I would like to think that a consensus would be arrived at and eventually we will reach a model that will cater for the small numbers not being accommodated at the moment.

Fundamentally, and I will repeat this, this is a resources issue. We need to increase resources to the areas that have the problem. Until we do that we are only tinkering with the symptoms of the problem not actually dealing with the problem itself. The witnesses can all be very proud of the educational system generally, in addition to the education that is delivered to our young people and indeed our adults of today. I know in County Monaghan, for example, we have experienced a big influx of foreign nationals from eastern Europe over the past 15 years or so. They now make up approximately 12% to 13% of the population of Monaghan and in Monaghan town that figure increases to 30%. I am glad to report that they have all been accommodated within the school network that currently exists. It goes to show that if the resources are there people can be accommodated.