Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to acknowledge the Sinn Féin motion. It is important for public representatives to keep education at the top of our agenda and prioritise it as best we can. Unfortunately, the difference between Government and Opposition Deputies is that those on the Government benches must manage the budget and the available funds that are allocated to try to protect our education system as far as possible. Despite some of the failings in our education system, we have a good, robust and sound system overall. Nonetheless, we must still work to improve it.

As a father of three young children in primary school, I am as concerned about education as the next person. I am sure every Member of the House is similarly concerned. That is why we need to continue debating education as a matter of priority here in the Chamber, in committees and within our parties. Many Deputies have argued to protect the education budget as far as possible.

For the past five years, I have been the chairperson of a national school's board of management. I can therefore see at first hand the challenges that a mid-sized school with 15 staff faces in keeping its day-to-day budget going as well as maintaining proper resources for pupils. I commend the board of management, which is a voluntary body comprising representatives of the community, parents, staff and school management. The in-school management team and the parents' council are also represented. The work of the board, particularly in fund raising, often goes unrecognised. They manage to keep the school going and preserve resources in the best interests of pupils. That situation needs to continue.

In my school, we operate a successful book leasing scheme which should be extended to all schools. It assists teachers and, more especially, parents to obtain the required educational resources.

The school population is rising and, in fairness to the Government, one of the first things the Minister, Deputy Quinn, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, did on assuming office was to institute a pre-fab replacement programme. This was to replace many pre-fabs which had been rented, with taxpayers' money going down the drain as a result. In the short space of two years much progress has been made in replacing pre-fabs and providing additional accommodation.

As a Government Deputy, I am taking on board what the Sinn Féin Deputies are saying. I accept their concerns are genuine. It behoves us on the Government benches to work within a budget that is seriously affected by the economic crash. We will do all within our power to protect the education of our children.

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