Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I understand what the Deputy is saying and support his sentiments but we are in a different place now. We have the fastest growing birth rate in Europe. In the first quarter of this year the population grew. New infants born to this State amounted to 50 short of 20,000. I have to start building almost immediately 20 new post-primary schools each of which will accommodate 1,000 pupils when completed. We have to build 20 new primary schools of a scale that the Deputy would not be used to in Cavan. I am talking about 600 and 700 pupils in a primary school. We have to extend the existing accommodation provision in another 180 schools to meet this demographic demand, and I am not sure that we will have enough capital to do it. I have argued strongly with my colleague in Cabinet that this is what we need and because we have had to focus on the demographic cohort which is increasing - good news for all of us - we must ensure there is a school place for every child in this State. We cannot allow some children to remain outside the school system while we renovate and improve existing schools. This is the hard choice I have had to make. I would be pleased to discuss the matter in detail with the relevant committee of the Houses.

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