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

We know that 17 new schools are to open next year, only two of which have a permanent home that we know about. We also know that there are about 350 schools in the schools building programme. This comes to approximately 1,000 when schools that are trying to get into that programme are added in. Does the Minister have enough money? I have raised this issue repeatedly. I am glad to see next year's increase. I am not talking about the capital plan; I am talking about next year's budget. If the summer works programme and the minor works grant are to be paid next year, they will take out a lot of the budget because they were not paid out or dealt with this year.

In talking about the capital plan, when people hear the Minister talking about the number of PE halls to be built, the number of prefabs to be replaced, the number of general purpose rooms and the number of schools, they want to know what the delivery on the ground will be. Do we need to put up with schools that are falling apart and schools with very high energy bills because of bad structures or will we see actual delivery on the ground?

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