Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The chronic underfunding of education is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. The future of our children and nation depend on it. The Government must take decisive action to ensure that all students, regardless of background or needs, have access to a quality education. The capitation grant barely covers energy and electricity costs, with little or no funding left to cover all the other costs involved in running a school. There is the impact of the reduction of the primary school free books scheme, the disappearance of the ICT grant scheme, the cut of €15 per pupil in the summer programme grant and the reduction in the ancillary service grant.

Schools need to fundraise to pay bills. Fundraising is more difficult in areas of deprivation and in small rural schools. In some cases, local parish priests are paying the electricity or fuel bills of schools.

The number of children with special needs and their families still desperately seeking school places for September 2024 is alarming. There are over 45,000 children registered with children's disability network teams across the country. The crisis in recruitment and retention of teachers across our education system has a greater adverse effect on special education needs.

There is a serious issue in my constituency with school bus services. Currently, 33 students in Bantry cannot get to Schull Community College. Another group in Ardfield near Clonakilty cannot reach Rosscarbery for school due to limited transport options. This not only contradicts the green agenda by forcing parents to drive 50 km daily, but also raises questions about Government's accountability.

It is crucial for the Minister for Education to address this issue promptly, beyond issuing generic responses. This is not just about convenience; it is also about environmental responsibility. Above all, the idea of parents worrying at this time of the year about how their children will get to school or if they will get to school at all by means of school transport is astonishing. The Minister made a promise here last year the issue would be resolved. It is in the programme for Government that the close school rule and every issue in relation to education will be resolved but for the people of Bantry who want to go to Schull and those in Ardfield who want to go to Rosscarbery, it is not resolved.

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