Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, to the House. I always found him to be a bright, honourable and courageous Minister and admired some the decisions he made in the last Government, many of which he was not allowed to implement. On this occasion however, he is making a grave mistake.

The Government's planned multi-million euro savaging of the Department of Education and Science's budget can be generalised in one term – cutbacks, although Senator Fitzpatrick claims they are not cutbacks. He described himself as vulnerable, but the real vulnerable people are in our towns, cities and rural areas. Pupils and teachers will be affected by these swingeing cuts and the ones most at risk are those in disadvantaged circumstances. Many in the teaching profession have, for many years, highlighted this critical problem and we must protect them. The horrific litany of cuts from the Department's budget includes €6 million from in-service training, €6.2 million from IT research and development, €5 million from structural reform of the Department, €2 million from the second level building programme and a further €1.3 million in miscellaneous cutbacks.

There is a school in Elphin, County Roscommon awaiting an extension – a college which reflects all that is admired in the education system – with enthusiastic and diligent pupils, dedicated and professional teachers and a proud and hard-working parents association. Is the Minister telling us that the people concerned are not worried about cutbacks? They want funding to ensure their extension is built. This case is replicated throughout the county and nationwide. I have no doubt the Department will hold back some of the funding.