Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In this budget at least we have protected front-line services at primary and secondary level. That is important. The primary sector is the most important area in our education system. It covers the formative years that we absolutely need to protect. I feel very strongly about this. It is an area in which we need to invest further in the future, and I hope we will see that happen. Once this country keeps the type of solid government it now has, compared with the ridiculous Government that was there for 14 years exercising the politics of lunacy, there will be some chance for our future generations.

In considering the overall education sector, we need to examine the cost of service provision at the higher education level where there is scope for major savings. We need to study the cost of service provision. We need to grasp the opportunity in the discussions on the second Croke Park agreement to achieve major savings across the sector and protect the vital front-line services that will pay dividends for every community in our country and society.

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