Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

The Minister had a particularly difficult week last week as her broken promises were exposed for all to see. It is continuing this week. She has said this is an unfair system. She has said that schools are polluters, when effectively they are users of a system. Now she is asking schools to make up the deficit. Is the Minister aware that the capitation grant the Department gives to a 100-pupil school is €17,800? Independent assessment suggests it costs €31,000 to run those schools. The deficit will grow next year when the bills from the local authorities hit the desks of school managers. Is the Minister telling the House that she has no new measure or Supplementary Estimate to give those schools to allow them to meet the excessive hikes in water charges?

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