Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I have quarrelled with Deputy Ó Laoghaire before as he always goes before me in committees and asks all the questions I was about to ask. I particularly want to go back to the issue of the DEIS schools. The pupil-teacher ratio needs to be followed through and those schools should see the benefit as well.

The point is very well made about the fact there will be no parents association fundraisers this year and those are very often the events that buy the sports equipment. Therefore, provision will have to be made for that shortfall. With regard to the provision of SNA equipment, it is profoundly difficult for SNAs to socially distance, as I know well from my experience in the classroom.

Deputy Farrell referred to capital spend. We have to assume that less of that is going to be spent this year under level 5 restrictions. Do we have a figure for that? Do we know if the Department is going to surrender some of that very welcome capital allocation?

While I welcome the increase in the school transport spend, is it sufficient? I understand the restrictions that had to be imposed on school transport in order to reduce transmission. Are we confident that, with the increased funding allocation, we are getting to the point where we can provide school transport to those students who need it?

I assume the expanded staffing arrangements that were announced under budget 2021 are not included in these Estimates but will be going ahead.

My final point concerns ASD provision. In the current Covid crisis, we are very fixed on the money that needs to be spent in the very short term but we need to see significant investment in the provision of places for students with ASD. Is there any plan to expand that allocation?