Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Cuireadh inár leith inné agus arís inniu gur ar bhonn peil pholaitiúil a chuir Sinn Féin an rún seo os comhair na Dála. Níl aon rud níos faide ón fhírinne. Is ar bhonn buairt ó chroí do na glúnta atá romhainn atá muid ag cur an rúin seo chun tosaigh. Táimid ag impí ar an Rialtas tarraingt siar ón cinneadh a ghlacadh roimh an Nollaig. Mura dtugann muid tús áite do páistí atá ar scoil fé láthair agus do na páistí a bheidh ar scoil sar i bhfad agus mura dhéanann muid an infheistiú cuí san oideachas dóibh agus do na glúinte atá le teacht, cad a bheidh in ndán dóibh nó do gheilleagar nó eacnamhaíocht na tire seo?

Má tá an tír seo chun infheistiú idirnáisiúnta a mhealladh chuig Éireann, má tá muid chun dul san iomaíocht le geilleagair eile timpeall an domhain, caithfidh muid a dhéanamh cinnte de go mbeidh ár óige chun tosaigh ó thaobh scileanna, eolas agus cur chuige de.

An t-aon bhealach le seo a dhéanamh ná trí déanamh cinnte de go bhfuil scolaíocht den scoth ar fáil ag chuile páiste agus go mbeidh gach páiste in ann dul chun tosaigh ag gach leibhéal den scolaíocht agus den córas oideachais.

I did not hear all of the debate yesterday, although I sat through most of it. We were probably challenged yesterday and twice today in the House to explain from where would the funding come if the cuts were to be reversed. Sinn Féin published a pre-budget submission, but I will not ask the Minister to go back over it. The Government rejected it because it produced a budget which ignored most of the points outlined in it. I have considered the challenge to the Opposition to come up with sources of funding to reverse the cuts proposed. I challenge the Minister to examine the money given in tax rebates to companies which invest in research and development because each year the State pays out €30 million to corporations for this purpose over and above the amount paid in tax by them. We give them €30 million they have not, in fact, paid to the Exchequer. This €30 million would help to reverse many of the cuts proposed in the budget. The challenge to the Minister is to examine the rebate and divert the money paid out.

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