Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will go back to the ICT grant for a moment, which was included in the FSSU calendar at the beginning of the past academic year. Schools invested wisely at that point, depending on that grant coming through. The Minister has just told the House and confirmed that grant will not be paid in this academic year. In fact, it will be the next academic year before that grant will be paid. Those schools who made those wise investments and signed up to wise contracts to be able to maintain and invest in the ICT infrastructure of their schools are now at a financial loss because that grant was not paid on time in accordance with the calendar produced by the FSSU.

I welcome the minor grants payments being made. That is a positive step and one that schools welcome, but there can be no justification for the lack of clarity around when payments will be made to primary schools to enable principals to be able to budget effectively. With the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach's indulgence, I will put on record a statement from a principal:

We are being pushed around constantly and cannot depend on payments of grants at any stage. In more than 10 years as a principal, I have never known such financial problems and uncertainty.

It is about the uncertainty. I again ask the Minister to please ensure a coherent calendar is published that is adhered to by the Department.

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