Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and Minister of State. I acknowledge that there were good points in the budget, particularly on special education. However, as I have only four minutes, I will focus on some of the areas about which I have concerns, two in particular.

The first area concerns capitation. I am aware that there was an increase but it primarily related to the allocation at the start of the year to get schools open. I am speaking to representatives of many schools who are very worried about their financial position, for several reasons. First, the refuse costs of some schools have increased by a four-figure sum. Second, given the desire to have some sort of ventilation, the schools' heating costs are going through the roof. Third, schools are very reliant financially on the voluntary organisations, community organisations, music teachers and so who hire rooms in their buildings. This income has collapsed. Many schools are very worried about what their financial position will be at the end of the year. If there has not been a need for further capitation increases in this school year, there will be. I want the Minister to respond to that.

On a related matter, I saw the tweet of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, yesterday. I welcome it but it is not acceptable that, according to Fórsa, one in five SNAs is not being provided with medical-grade face masks. If there is an issue with funding or any other such matter, will it be resolved? Can we ensure that all SNAs will have access to medical-grade face masks? SNAs cannot social-distance so medical-grade face masks are essential.

The pupil-teacher ratio was reduced. It was reduced in urban senior schools in band 1 of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS.

This meant that the majority of band 1 DEIS schools did not benefit. Whether that was an oversight or a deliberate decision, it is unacceptable and must be reversed. I am aware of one DEIS school in Cork city, although not in my constituency, where, because of a combination of a suppressed post due to falling numbers and the failure to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio, the school has had to combine two classes and there are now well over 30 in that class. That is not acceptable. Some of the most disadvantaged schools and children in the State missed out on the reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio and I call on the Minister to reverse that.