Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

First, if I may beg the indulgence of the Acting Chairman, Deputy O'Connor, as this will be my only opportunity before the event to announce that, in my capacity as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Education and Science, in light of the proposed water charge levy on schools which is a concern to all Deputies in this House and having heard the comments of the Taoiseach, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, and Deputy Kenny, I have called an extraordinary meeting of this committee for Tuesday next at 2.30 p.m. to see if we can come to some solution. A solution can be found between the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Education and Science. It is important because schools cannot afford to pay this. I am sure there must be a way of giving a free water allowance and then, if a school went over a certain level, of paying for the difference. I hope the non-partisan debate from all Members will sort that out.

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