Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

Deputy Bruton and our education spokesman, Deputy Brian Hayes, were mentioned. In one hour, they identified 32 brutal cuts in education. Some jump out at me. When I see a curtailment in the school building programme, I remember the vocational school in Stranorlar, Finn Valley College, where work has been on the cards since 1979. I think of Gortahork, which has been seeking a new school for years, my former school of Scoil Chonaill, Bunbeg, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair and countless other schools throughout my constituency. How many more years must they wait because of the curtailment?

Two cuts relating to the Irish language jump out at me. According to the Government, it will be the saviour of the Irish language. The summer colleges, which most of us who did not live in the Gaeltacht attended at one time or another, were financed from three sources. Parents and the Departments of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Education and Science made contributions. The latter Department's contribution was meant to pay for the teachers of the 30,000 to 40,000 young people attending the colleges every year. What has the Department done with the capitation fee of €50 per pupil this year? It has not been reduced. Rather, it has been abolished. This will be a body blow to the young boys and girls studying for their junior certificates and leaving certificates——

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