Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I move:

"That Seanad Éireann noting;

the massive shortfall in day-to-day funding of primary schools and their over-reliance on fundraising as the new means of funding primary education;

the Department of Education and Science's decision to abolish the Summer Works Scheme for primary schools in 2007/2008 and the failure to date to reinstate the scheme for 2008/2009;

the deferral of minor works grant for 2008 to 2009;

the lack of transparency, forward planning and the inequitable ad-hoc approach used in delivering the School Building Programme;

the Third World standard of ICT infrastructure in schools and the failure of Government to implement the proposed ICT Strategy;

and considering;

primary schools are on average in debt to the tune of €23,000

reports stating that 74% of parents feel obliged to pay voluntary contributions and 35% have difficulty meeting the cost of it;

the number of schools who are forced to seek emergency debt relief from the Department each year;

the fact that 10% of all schools in the state have been granted charitable tax exemption;

the inadequate levels of start-up funding for new schools;

the pressure on schools to cope with added costs such as rapidly increasing energy costs and water charges;

the inordinate amount of administration pressure placed on schools, in particular schools with teaching principals, with inadequate levels of secretarial support;

calls on the Government to;

immediately reinstate the Summer Works Scheme and administer the Devolved Grant to schools in 2008;

commission an independent review of the entire capitation system;

ensure that this review is delivered within six months, with recommendations on the appropriate level of capitation support required, in line with international best practice in schools;

investigate the possibility of refunding VAT paid on goods and services to schools;

investigate the possibility of introducing new initiatives to increase efficiency in the capitation system, such as the involvement of the State Claims Agency in providing insurance for schools;

introduce efficiencies designed to reduce the level of paperwork and red tape to enable principals to fulfil their primary role of teaching and school leadership;

immediately implement the €252m ICT Strategy committed to in the National Development Plan;

introduce greater levels of transparency into the School Building Programme by publishing details of the programme on the Department's website.

I welcome the Minister to the House. In my experience it is his first time here since his new appointment, but perhaps he has been here in my absence.