Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

That was a disappointing response. It is shameful that almost 100 years since the foundation of the State, we still do not have free primary education. How basic can one get? This is in spite of the fact that Article 42.4 of the Constitution commits that "the State shall provide for free primary education". Yet, we do not have that free primary education. The programme for Government committed to investing in annual increases in primary and secondary capitation rates and that the Government would set three-year rolling programmes for the funding of schools. None of that has been done. The Minister published the glossy Action Plan for Education earlier this year, at the start of which he set out "our aim is to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026". Those words ring hollow when the Minister cannot even provide the basic funding for items such as heating, cleaning, lighting and insurance in our schools.

We need to get our priorities right. Does the Minister believe in the principle of free primary education? If so, why is he not delivering on it? He talks about other areas of funding. While this is all very welcome, those other areas of funding which have been increased do not pay the bills in primary schools. Will the Minister give a commitment that he will, at a minimum, reverse the 2010 cuts in this year's budget? Will he also look at the overall funding requirements for covering the basics and overheads? What is provided only meets about half of the cost of running schools. This should be the Minister's and the Government's number one priority. We need to stop talking about tax cuts and other such measures when our children are paying the cost of the recession. Will the Minister commit to reversing these cuts as a matter of urgency in this year's budget?

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