Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I hope that some parties within the Government will seek to change Government policy in this regard. Those children are not receiving an adequate education. Six of the classes in St. Joseph's school in Mell have more than 30 students.

This programme came on the back of the revelation that many schools that have been given approval for extensions cannot proceed to construction because the funds provided only cover a fraction of the actual cost. The Department of Education and Science spends €35.5 million per annum on prefabricated buildings. That is a complete waste of money. It is money down the drain. I spoke earlier about how the downturn in the domestic building sector provides an opportunity to address historic underfunding of school buildings in a way that will provide real value for money. Now is the time for immediate recommencement of the school building programme to ensure that all schools with unsafe and substandard accommodation are upgraded immediately.

I also draw attention to the inadequate primary capitation grant system. Energy costs, waste disposal charges, water charges, with cleaning and hygiene costs, have increased dramatically and schools can no longer meet those costs. On average, after receiving all funding available from the State, each primary school has an average annual debt of €23,000. That means that €82 million has to be raised by parents, friends and school boards this year to cover the debts of primary schools throughout the State. This places pressure on parents, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet in the current climate. That is a pressure that should not exist in a State with so-called free education. A total of €82 million in this year alone is some free education system.

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