Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to take this opportunity to wish the Minister good luck on his appointment. I hope that he will carry his traditional work ethic into this ministerial portfolio.

I wish to discuss small schools.

Unfortunately, the works programmes for those schools and, indeed, secondary schools were held up because of the delay in the formation of the Government. It definitely put out our school works programme for a certain period but I hope we will catch up. When schools apply for small amounts of money to carry out necessary works, whether to repair a roof, replace windows or fix a floor, for example, it is important that it be made available. These works are terribly important to a school and make a significant difference to the teachers and students. Unfortunately, over recent years many schools have had to engage in fund-raising to ensure they can operate properly. The principals, teachers and boards of management have enough to be doing in trying to educate our young people and keep the education process going without having to engage in that type of work. I hope adequate resources will always be put towards our education, irrespective of the type of school.

I welcome what is stated in the programme for Government on small schools not closing. We do not want to lose any of the schools in our parishes and communities. We want to hold on to what we have. Schools are terribly important. A local school is the lifeblood of the community. Sometimes numbers can go down but, naturally, they can rise again. If a school is gone, it is gone. All we want to do is keep the door open.

Along with Deputy Mattie McGrath, I welcome the increase in the number of SNAs that has been announced. It is very important and I thank every SNA in the country. They are providing a vital service in taking on board and assisting young students in every way they can. They do so in a very special way. I compliment our teachers, principals and boards of management on all the excellent work they do.

Let me refer to the people who transport students to school. I wish to use this opportunity to refer to a totally ridiculous set of circumstances. Bearing in mind the talk of ageism - a word that is often used - is it not ridiculous that a man can no longer drive children to school if he is over 70? However, if he wants to pick them up at the school gate and drive them from Ballinskelligs to Donegal, he can do so in the evening. He could take them to a football match with no problem but he could not take them to school. If a man or lady aged 70 is good enough to drive a bus full of children from Malin to Mizen, surely he or she is good enough to drive them to school. Regardless of where the rule originated, could the Minister please get rid of it? The most insulting thing one can say to any person of 70 years of age is that he or she is no longer good enough to drive the young lads to school. It is ridiculous.

I am not blaming the Minister but I am asking him to address this. He is a practical man. He should listen to what I am saying and talk to somebody about it. The rule should be reversed. It is totally ageist. It is insulting to people aged 70 to tell them they can no longer drive children to school when they could drive a bus of five-year-olds the length and breadth of the country perfectly legally after school. There is nothing wrong with driving them after school. They could go abroad with the children without any problem, but they could not drive the children to school. Ultimately, Deputy Richard Bruton is the Minister. I ask him to talk to whatever genius in the Department came up with that stupid idea. Will he talk to the officials and put it to them that the rule should be reversed? If we achieve nothing else tonight, this will have been an important thing to achieve.

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