Ms Colette Kavanagh:

I echo the argument on public procurement made by Ms Flynn. Educate Together recently introduced it for its schools but patrons need to sell it more to schools and boards of management. The establishment of the 16 education and training boards to replace the 33 voluntary education committees should generate substantial savings in administration costs to the Department. Educate Together argues that such savings should be retained in the education budget and used to increase the subventions paid directly to schools and-or to reinstate the minor works grant. This additional income stream to schools would reduce the fund-raising burden on parents.