Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)

I also welcome the national partnership agreement in so far as it is concluded. It is not fully concluded yet. I have every confidence in the leadership of the farming community to resolve the outstanding issues in that regard. In dealing with the partnership agreement, will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Finance to give us a briefing on the detail of the agreement?

While these agreements are welcome, some have a long lead-in and delay in implementation. I am particularly concerned with the delay in the implementation of infrastructural and construction projects. Delays in the various stages of implementation of sewerage schemes, minor extensions and development of hospitals cause grave frustration throughout the community. We might find a way for the Minister for Finance to expedite these and cut out the red tape which delays many projects. Substantial funding has been ring-fenced for two, three or four years for some of these projects.

Senator Ulick Burke raised the issue of teachers. While I accept the necessity to hear from the Minister on her plans for future developments, it is fair to state substantial investment has been made in the reduction of class sizes and 5,000 additional teachers have been employed in recent times. That must be acknowledged. We held a meeting with parents and teachers representatives. As part of an INTO campaign, we were presented with a petition of 5,000 names from parents and pupils in Clare, who feel class sizes are too big and remedial measures must be taken. If the Minister for Education and Science came to the House it would provide a useful opportunity to give an outline of the massive improvements she made in recent times and indicate how she proposed to deal with the issues raised by the INTO.