Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the reply. I tabled this question because it is important the Minister is at the coalface in engaging with both primary and secondary schools as well as the third level sector. At the outset of his tenure, the Minister stated it was not his intention to visit many schools and that he wanted to be in his office in the Department. That would be a very wrong approach because many of the policies he has introduced are having a very serious impact and it is important, therefore, that the Minister would engage with schools. I highlighted earlier for the Minister a school with 70 students which has lost a minor works grant to the value of €7,000 at the end of last year, and it will not come to them again at the end of this year. That is €100 per student which that school will now have to fund-raise as a result. It is not good enough for the Minister to blame the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, and his colleagues for the fact that he cannot keep the promises he made in the election in terms of not cutting education. I call on the Minister to reinstate the minor works grant.

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