Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Is the growth in construction costs affecting the Minister's capital budget? Is it part of the reason that there was a large capital budget this year given the fact that the growth in the number of additional primary and post-primary school places being provided is slowing, as is spending per student on enhancement and replacement of post-primary school facilities? Are there other reasons for it? Is there a focus on projects that are necessary but more expensive? Does it relate to site costs in urban areas? What are the reasons for the higher capital budget when the outturns do not seem to be appreciating at the same rate? Could any efficiencies be identified in projects earmarked for delivery in 2019? Will the Minister tell us how many students will be moved from prefabs to permanent accommodation in 2019 as a result of the capital budget?

The Minister's capital budget provides for extra funding for school laboratories and physical education, PE, halls. Have those projects already been applied for? Are the schools aware of the projects that are being funded this year? Has planning permission been received for any or all of these projects? Are all of the science laboratories and PE halls provided for due for completion in 2019?

On current expenditure, we had an issue before with regard to the number of pensioners. The figures seem to be the exact same this year as for last year. Will the Minister explain that? What changes have happened in the calculation of these figures? We were promised that this would all change and that there would be better preparation and better work with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform but the figures seem to be exactly the same. What new system of predicting the number of pensioners could have resulted in effectively the same number of pensioners retiring this year as was predicted last year?

Will the Minister comment briefly on the payment of substitute teachers? I will then come back with other questions. We will proceed in groups of three. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan is next.