Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Is the admission by the Minister that a considerable number of schools have had to go to her Department, cap in hand, to be bailed out because of ongoing debt problems not evidence that the capitation regime is insufficient, particularly with regard to primary schools? Is she aware of a survey carried out by the Irish National Teachers Organisation which shows that as many as one third of schools have to regularly organise fundraising through parents? Does she consider it acceptable that a school has to seek voluntary subscriptions from parents for the privilege of heat and light?

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