Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I welcome the constructive points made by Deputies and propose to make several points which reinforce the sentiments expressed by my colleague, Deputy Durkan, and shared by Deputies from constituencies experiencing rapid, massive increases in population.

On the issue of planning, which the Minister discussed, as areas on the east coast rapidly develop and planning permissions are granted, it sometimes takes local authorities some time to draw up their action area plans. Trigger mechanisms agreed among the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Education and Science and local authorities should be put in place, particularly as we already know the areas in which growth will take place. Once planning permission has been granted for a certain number of houses, these two Departments and local authorities and residents should immediately get together to sort out the issue. Schools should be planned as houses are being built.

A silly argument is taking place in County Louth about the views of the Department of Education and Science versus those of the county manager. The whole issue should have been agreed earlier and should not have entered the public domain. If the triggers I propose were in place, action would be taken and a resolution found almost as soon as houses are built.

On the one hand, the Minister lectures the local authorities about their obligations while, on the other, the local authorities lecture her about her obligations to provide money for school sites. The issue needs to be resolved between the Departments of Education and Science and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and funding must be secured for schools. I am astonished that, with the exception of development charges, developers who make millions of euro from building houses on development land make no real contribution to necessary infrastructure, particularly in education. This needs to change.

As our population changes, particularly as the numbers of new immigrants increase, primary and secondary schools have an important role to play in integrating different communities, religions and races. Ireland is fast becoming a multicultural society. I laud the commitment of teachers to make this change a constructive and positive one, but this may not always be the case. I am concerned that with immigrants tending to earn less and work in poorly paid jobs, a greater proportion of them will live in social housing than in affordable or other types of housing. A plan must be drawn up to ensure our new communities are integrated in society and the education sector must lead the process of change.

Molaim an díospóireacht seo. Measaim go bhfuil sí an-tábhachtach. Beidh mé ag caint arís amárach faoi.

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