Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will take two minutes now.

Since I have so little time, I will just refer to a few issues concerning education and equality. With regard to the budget's approach to the education sector, 150 mainstream teachers were announced but this will only cover demographic changes rather than provide a reduction in the pupil–teacher ratio. My colleague, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and I have raised consistently the need for additional supports for educational services for children with special needs. We have used our Private Members' time twice over the past six months in this regard. We are happy there has been some progress but the fact that one in four children with an intellectual disability is being put on a short school day illegally is absolutely appalling. Over 850 children with special needs across the country received home tuition in 2018 because school places could not be found for them. That is absolutely appalling.

We have discovered that €19 million seems to have disappeared from the capital budget of the Department of Education and Skills, despite the need for new schools, even in my constituency. I am not even talking about extensions. St. Paul's secondary school in Monasterevin comes to mind, and a new secondary school has been promised for Newbridge. The amalgamation of primary schools in Monasterevin and the needs of Coláiste Íosagáin in Portarlington must also be borne in mind. That there is less money in the budget is completely shocking.

That nothing has been done to address investment at third level is absolutely appalling. The Irish Universities Association reports a real deficit in core funding in 2019 of €138 million. There is a huge gap between what is provided and what is needed.

The Cassells report has been lying idle on the Minister's desk for four years despite the real concerns it highlighted about third level. The Minister has essentially said that he will not do anything to address the approaching demographic crisis. Instead, we have seen a solo run on third level fees over the past year, with a commitment to take no action on the Cassells report. That is not good enough.

We in Fianna Fáil have stated that a Department of higher education and research is necessary. Such a Department could not get away with leaving something like the Cassells report on a shelf for years. That Department should be established to change the relationship between the State and educational establishments. This situation is disappointing.

I am conscious that I only have a short time, but I will be able to contribute again later.

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