Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

That is not what I said. Many people are beginning to wonder why in the run-up to the 2007 election the party stated there might be a slowdown and even if economic growth reduced from 7% to 3% or less, it could still take many initiatives. However, the Government cannot do a great deal if economic growth is only 2.8% or 3%.

I refer to small issues around the country. For instance, I tabled two parliamentary questions recently about two schools in Cathair Geal, Tuam, and Aughrim, Ballinasloe, in my constituency. I never received such a gobbledegook reply as that from the Minister for Education and Science. The schools are being considered in the context of the multiannual budget, which was the case five years ago. I refer to the proposed amalgamations of Presentation College and the Mercy Convent in Tuam as well as St. Jarlath's College and St. Patrick's College. Ten years ago all the stakeholders, including teachers and unions, reached agreement on these projects but sites have still not been acquired. These are examples of the lack of delivery at ground level. The budget does not provide any hope for these projects over the next few years even though they have been around forever.

Pollution control is an issue for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The sewerage scheme in my home village of Mountbellew is outdated and everyone has known this for years. It is polluting the local River Shiven. Only last week An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission to a developer to build a number of houses and a shopping centre but inserted a clause preventing him from commencing the development until a new sewerage scheme has been built in the village. I contacted the Department about the file on this and it could well be another four or five years ago before the scheme happens. Such projects must be considered in the context of the budget and the infrastructure it will create. The Tánaiste can talk in global terms all he likes but it is what happens on the ground that counts.

I refer to the moneys allocated to the Department of Education and Science in the budget. Most of the new schools building projects are located in Dublin or on the east coast. I cannot understand why the summer works scheme was abolished. Many small schools availed of it to carry out rewiring, replace roofs and carry out other external works. The Department went to the trouble last September of asking school boards of management to make applications for the 2008 scheme. Engineers and so on were retained to send in the applications but a unilateral decision was taken to abolish the scheme a few months ago. That does not represent joined-up thinking or consistency in policy.

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