Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Education is one of the fundamental tenets by which we measure how we, as a society, have progressed socially and economically since the foundation of this State. The appetite among people in the country to invest in education and educate their children, which is intrinsically linked with better futures for everybody, is how we measure education and how by virtue of the policies of successive Governments and Ministers and Education, it has served this country. The current Minister, Deputy Quinn, supported by the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, is doing that portfolio justice.

The Minister has not dropped the baton. However, we need to take stock. The UN declaration and international charters are referenced in the motion. Let us take stock and be realistic. We have an excellent and accessible educational system. We continue to strive for excellence because there is always more we need to know in relation to education. Our system is fundamentally a good one. I commend the Minister on his courage in tackling educational issues and, as stated by Deputy Nolan, for not being afraid to revisit issues if needs be and to listen to differing views. The Minister is doing all of this while faced with implementing difficult budgets in which the amount available to him to spend on education has been reduced.

Deputy Breen spoke earlier about concerns in relation to the increase in pupil-teacher ratios. Next week, we will hear from the Union of Students in Ireland about the cuts to student grants. Another area of concern is that of students with disabilities. The Minister is faced with a tough task in terms of the division in a fair manner of his allocation. However, it is not always possible to please everybody. Somebody has to make decisions. I believe the Minister makes his decisions to the best of his ability.

I welcome the Minister's public consultation with parents and other interested parties on the inclusiveness, patronage and so on of education. I would like to see such debate take place on the floor of this House. In such debate I would ask questions like what is wrong with teaching religion in schools and what is wrong with having faith at the heart of the ethos of a school? Above all, is there a demand for it among parents? People in my area were surveyed in relation to the provision of a multidenominational school. There is no demand for it. I wonder why it was being suggested that the predominantly Roman Catholic schools in that area should change their patronage. Constituents come to me about many issues: they do not come to me about the patronage of their schools. They are very proud of their patrons.

I would like if during preparation of the budget the Minister would re-examine the exclusion of Inver national school, which even though it meets all of the criteria for DEIS has been excluded from it because of the incompetence of one person in not returning a form. On capital investment, practically no new schools are to be built in County Mayo or the west. Two schools in my area, Culleens national school and Bonniconlon national school, are in a dreadful state. There is a need for capital investment outside of the cities.

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