Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On one side of the House we have the Opposition talking about the problem of inflation and spending more in order to tackle the it. Does the Opposition not realise that one of the principal causes of inflation is injecting more money into the economy? The more the Government injects more money into the economy, the more inflation increases. It is about striking a balance between Government spending and inflation increasing. It is a basic economic principle, going back to the French Revolution or the Weimar Republic. Government spending has to be balanced with inflation.

On the other side of the House, we have Deputy Durkan talking about fiscal corrections as a result of too much spending. Of course, he left out the fact that not all of that correction was made by Fine Gael. It was made first and foremost by the Irish people, but two thirds of it was made in advance of Fine Gael ever coming into government. Where Fine Gael went wrong, which shows the difference between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, is with all the small projects that really help people and have a major impact on their lives. They need to be the priority. They are the priority in this budget and have been absent from previous budgets. Despite attempts to suggest that this is a tired, out-of-date, exhausted Government, there is nothing exhausted about the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Butler, or the Ministers, Deputies Stephen Donnelly and Norma Foley. For many of us in Fianna Fáil, this is the first real opportunity we have had to inject our priorities and choices into a budget. Last year, we were dealing with Covid, which was understandable.

Education, disadvantage and special needs were my primary priorities and I know they were also the priority of many at the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party meeting last week. Speaker after speaker spoke about higher education, special needs, disadvantage and schools. Budget 2022 was a record priority commitment for higher quality and inclusive education. The budget delivered for schools in disadvantaged areas and expanded investment in special education to its highest amount in the history of the State. The DEIS programme received a 20% increase in funding and will be extended to more schools. DEIS urban band 1 schools will also receive further targeted funding. I know the difference that will make to schools in my community. In places like Ballymun and Finglas, DEIS schools do a fantastic job with some of the most disadvantaged children in our country and in some of the most challenging circumstances. Expanding the DEIS programme ensures that as many children as possible who are at risk of educational disadvantage will benefit from targeted supports.

The programme for Government commitment to reduce class sizes continues to be delivered as well, with an extra 350 teachers being provided to further reduce the pupil-teacher ratio. Unlike in previous years, this improvement will also be extended to DEIS schools.

I particularly welcome the investment in special education. Over 900 special education teachers will be provided, alongside nearly 1,100 special needs assistants, SNAs, who will work both in special education and in mainstream schools. That is 2,000 people to give these children the helping hand they need. My area has a shortage of special education and autism spectrum disorder, ASD, classes. I regularly speak with the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Madigan, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and families who are impacted by those shortages and waiting lists and are travelling long distances to get to those schools. These children deserve a school place in their own community and to go to a school with their siblings and neighbours. The difference it makes to these families when classes and places are available in their local area is huge.

The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, recently met a number of parents in my area who are campaigning for more places and the Minister for Education recently opened a new ASD class in Virgin Mary Girls' National School in Ballymun in my constituency. The benefit of that inclusive approach to education delivers for the whole school community. In fact, it delivers for all of our communities. The funding in the budget for extra teachers, SNAs and administrative principals will allow me schools to open classes with confidence and they will receive that support. I also thank the Minister for Education and the Ministers of State, Deputies Madigan and Rabbitte, for their commitment to this issue and for working with me and the parents concerned. I look forward to more classes opening and more local children receiving a school place nearer their homes. That has to be a priority for this Government as we go forward.

In higher education, student grants have also been increased for the first time in a decade. Not since Fianna Fáil was last in power have higher education grants been increased. The fee contribution for post-leaving certificate, PLC, courses has also been abolished. That will affect 10,000 students, as will the establishment of an apprenticeship office. Students will also benefit from the half-price public transport scheme. That is a very welcome measure to address both the cost of living for them and their families and our climate action targets. Higher and further education will be critical to our recovery from this pandemic in providing the skills we need to tackle the housing crisis. I welcome the wide range of measures in this budget that will help the sector to expand.

This is a budget that supports all sectors of our education system, with a focus on the most disadvantaged communities and on children with special education needs. I make no apologies for that. It continues Fianna Fáil's history as a party that recognises education as the foundation of our success as a country and demonstrates a clear commitment to a system that delivers for all learners. It follows the example of our party set by Donogh O'Malley many years ago, as well as by the many people who have followed him.

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