Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for a partnership Government contains a commitment to annual increases in capitation rates for schools. Last week, the Department of Education and Skills published its briefing document for the Minister for Education and Skills. This document was extremely stark and described the serious threat that the low level of funding could trigger school closures due to a lack of heating or insurance cover. The programme for a partnership Government also contains a commitment to allowing schools to hire out their premises to community groups and other groups after school hours. I wonder whether this will be the basis for funding schools into the future. Will schools have to hire out their premises to outside bodies to stay open? That is the worry, and it is not a worry expressed by me; it is a worry expressed directly by the Minister's officials.

See this speech in context