Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I accept the Minister's remarks on the encouragement of young people and schools to engage in water conservation, but we cannot single out schools, penalise them and force them to fund-raise for water, thus distracting them from the provision of quality teaching, which is their primary responsibility. Why not apply the same principle to Garda stations, military barracks, Departments and the Houses of the Oireachtas? Why are schools being singled out in this instance? It is surely incumbent on the Government to ensure teachers are given the wherewithal to get on with the job of teaching and that pupils are given the opportunity to learn, including in respect of the issues the Minister highlighted. The further noose or requirement placed on boards of management to raise money to provide simple essential services such as water for drinking and flushing toilets is surely unacceptable.

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