Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

----of many new people moving to them.

Each case does not fall into the same category and each school should have a priority rating. We have the banding system of bands 1 to 4. While everybody believes their school is a priority, it is important that there be criteria in place. The criteria regarding band 1 refers to the needs of schools in rapidly developing areas, the provision of specialist accommodation for special needs pupils, schools which are structurally unsound and rationalisation projects. However, it is not perfect.

When the Minister was first appointed I raised the case of a school with her. It had not been prioritised by the Department so I am sure she thought it was not a genuine case. Political pressure was applied only to ask the Minister to look at the case and establish whether it was a band 1 type of school. When she visited the school, she realised that one would need a heavy overcoat to go to the boys' toilet and a mask to stay in it for any length of time. The mould growing in most of the classrooms was unseen in this day and age. Those in officialdom and politicians could not understand how the school had slipped through the system.

The system should prioritise schools which most need support. Through the devolved grant, the Minister has enabled many projects to proceed in an innovative way. I suggest that it is tracked like the sports capital grants and the child care grants. People are often given money to draw down and most do so in a very efficient fashion but it is important the Department applies a certain amount of pressure to ascertain the status of a project to ensure those following from behind are able to move as fast as possible.

Value for money is important. The initiative to look at models of schools where considerable sums of money are not spent on architects' fees is very important. The green energy initiative is also very important and I encourage the Minister to continue to work with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to open up the national grid in order that schools can engage not only in green flag activities, such as reducing the number of plastic bags used, but that they can use energy generated by wind turbine.

It is impossible to say in the time available all that needs to be said. I believe schools are now getting involved in activities they were previously unable to get involved in and this is putting pressure on the building programme. The economy has been such that many people who left Ireland have returned to raise their children and avail of our good education system. The recently published OECD report ranks Ireland high in respect of competitiveness in terms of its outcomes.

We are, in some respects, victims of our success. I agree we should ensure continued investment in education. The return of the summer works programme is important. In this regard, small amounts of funding were invested in useful projects. I agree with Senator Ross that planning issues often can get in the way of developing schools. Schools often simply cannot get sites. These are issues with which the Minister or Department cannot deal even if they prioritise a school. There must be a certain amount of development at local level to ensure that when schools are prioritised they can proceed and draw down funding.