Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

Approximately €3.162 billion, or 4.7% of gross domestic product, was spent on education in Ireland in 1997. The Estimates for 2005 have indicated that €7.21 billion, or 4.6% of GDP, will be spent on education in this country this year. How can the Minister guarantee the public, including Senators and members of the teaching unions whom she met recently, that she expects and will deliver progress?