Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)

There is no doubt they are essential and welcome when they come but they are not enough. That is the reality. I need the Minister of State, the Minister and Department to hear that. Schools are screaming from the rooftops. All you need to do is look at the Dáil record and see the number of times school funding has been raised by Deputies across the House. I think there is a former school principal in the corner on the other side of the House. I am sure he will reflect on it as well. Basic funding for schools does not match increased costs. Schools try to muddle through but many cannot. They resort to voluntary contributions, fundraising or running deficits. The funding announced today is €14 million down on the funding announced last year, at a time when schools are sinking under the weight of increased costs and the number of schools being directed to the FSSU is increasing year on year significantly. Politics is being played. Government representatives went out on every local media station today announcing the figures for this grant funding. They did not say it is significantly down on last year. They are announcing the welcome news that there is funding for local schools. If the local representative in Meath was honest, she would say that instead of getting €2.2 million as we got last year, we are only getting €1.5 million for the ICT grant this year. It is down €700,000. The minor works grant is as it was, €1.2 million, which is welcome. This is a significant decrease in funding. Schools are struggling. They use these funds to deliver the essential works needed and for cash flow to ensure they stay above water. It is a major problem. I acknowledge when progress is made. I hope the Minister of State will acknowledge that I am fair in that regard but schools are chronically underfunded. The people who really suffer are those who are most vulnerable who do not have access to funds outside the school and fundraising efforts.

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