Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for the report on the Cabinet committee on education. A number of relevant questions arise. First, when will we see a date for junior certificate results? I note a events company in Cork is suggesting it will be around 12 October. Approximately 130,000 students and their parents are waiting the results but no date has been set. I would welcome a response on that issue.

We in the Labour Party welcomed the announcement by the Government in respect of free school books at primary level. It is a matter on which we have been campaigning for many years. My colleague, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, has led on that. Will the scheme be extended to secondary schools in the budget next year, recognising the immense cost faced by so many families in the purchase of books for secondary school students?

Finally, I ask the Taoiseach to clarify whether the schools energy retrofit pathfinder programme is going to be expanded to support a sufficient number of schools to make it worthwhile. It looks as though the retrofitting programme will only work for about ten schools a year at current rates. It is simply not enough.

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