Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)

We are all learning. We discussed a proposal that funding which had not been used already would be used and put back into buildings and things like that. I said at the time that I have worked in further education buildings which need to be retrofitted. I understand what the Minister is saying. For the learners and teachers in a building that is draughty and cold - it may have ivy coming into it - a retrofitting of the building is so important. It may not be too old. From an environmental point of view, I would like the buildings we have to be kept to the best capacity that they can be kept to. I would like us to be able to make sure that they are maintained. I do not mind whether we use the word "retrofitting" or the word "maintaining".

I reiterate the point that I would not like to see surpluses being run again. There should not be an underspend in any of this area. The reality is that we have heard over the months since the Minister was appointed about the hopes and dreams of him and his Department. They will only be realised if the full funding for the Department is utilised. The Minister explained why there was an underspend, and that is fair enough. It will be used in these specific circumstances for these things, and I accept that. They need to be outlined clearly. I accept that the amendment provides for "these payments to only relate to training and upskilling and not for any other purpose" and for "these payments to only relate to the construction or reconstruction (not retrofitting) of a premises that is only used for training and educational purposes". If we are valuing education, particularly in fields like further education and community education, people need to feel as valued as people feel when a brand-new primary school, secondary school or third level institution is being built. If funds are being used for that purpose in this particular context, we recommend that this would be possible.

Notwithstanding that, please do not run underutilised budgets. I do not want to tell the Minister how to do his job, but it is so important that this funding used. I do not want us to be back here again in a year or two looking at budgets that have not been fully used when we know there are deficits with regard to people's contracts not being fully fulfilled. When we talked about science recently during Science Week, we spoke about the facilities that are needed. I would love any money that is available from the Department to be able to be used for the upgrade of science equipment in as many education settings as the Minister has authority over. As I said at the time, there is no point in people using a Nokia-blockia phone when they should be using the best and newest updated smartphone they can have. It is important. I am not knocking Nokia-blockias, by the way; I had plenty of them when they first came out. When there is a surplus, it is important to use it wisely. While I accept Sinn Féin's amendment, I do not accept it in full because I do not agree that it should not include retrofitting. I am sorry about that.

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