Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I acknowledge warmly the goodness among services such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and community groups, and the funding from the Department of Education and Science to provide breakfast and warmth before school for these children. This is a very good initiative and I call on the Minister to continue to fund it.

Colleagues have referred to the sad phenomenon of the removal of the book grant in non-DEIS schools. This is a big retrograde step. My children went to school in the 1980s when we had no money and I know how expensive schoolbooks were. We had no rental schemes. Is there any way the Minister can reconsider the book grant scheme? It is an area in which further investment can be made without costing a huge amount of money.

My colleague, Senator Healy Eames, referred to the fact that transition year will probably be done away with because it cannot be funded. The Minister has an incredulous look on his face but I am aware of outings which were cancelled because substitute teachers could not get involved and because of a lack of funding for foreign trips or extracurricular activities which were being done heretofore. Will the Minister comment on this? I look forward to hearing what he has to say.

The halving of child benefit for 18 year olds will affect children in poverty. It will be removed altogether between next year and 2010. I am aware of many youngsters who did badly in their first leaving certificate and repeated it. They had the benefit of their parents being able to support them by using the child benefit. This is also the case for first year students in college. I keep harping back to the fact that people with no money will be the hardest hit and the only way to get out of poverty is through a good education. It is a fundamental right.

I do not agree with Senator Norris with regard to fees. Even the €1,500 registration fee will hit youngsters very hard. These are youngsters who try to work weekends to make extra money so they can fund themselves. A recent Bank of Ireland survey commissioned by the Union of Students of Ireland found that it costs €38,000 for a four-year degree course. This is in terms of how things stand, including receipt of the grant. If fees are reintroduced it will cost €70,000. One would want to get a great job to be able to afford to pay back €70,000, particularly with all the other issues which must be discussed.

Senator Norris asked for an equitable scheme and a way to introduce a means test that would be equitable. However, we all know — and with my hand on my heart I know — people who are able to dodge giving an honest means test. Will the Minister enlighten the House as to how he might be able to have an equitable means test?

Last week, I attended a very good awards ceremony at a local community service for youngsters who left school early. They were able to participate in levels of FETAC and complete their leaving certificate and computer studies. All of this has been funded by FÁS and the concern now is that because FÁS is doing so well in looking after and helping to upskill the people who have lost their jobs, there is no room for these poverty stricken youngsters to move up after their two years in the community workshop and go to FÁS because the agency cannot take on any more people.

Where will those who leave school early and who get a chance in these community sheltered workshops, many of whom have serious mental health issues, go? What will happen to them? We will have more of these youngsters leaving school early with no qualifications whatsoever. Much work has been done by these agencies and the Minister knows full well that some of the youngsters have entered third level education and have a chance. Will the Minister comment on this evolving issue? There is room for the probation and welfare service, the Health Service Executive and mental health services to get involved with children and young people who drop out of school early to ensure they still have a chance of having a good education.

I am very familiar with the area of special needs assistants because I am aware of children who have benefitted from them. It has been a very good scheme. However, I do not believe that special needs assistants have been trained to be able to deal with some of the behavioural disabilities of the children with whom they work. In some instances, they sit at the back of the class and it seems their job and role is to keep the child quiet. This is a terrible indictment and a waste of money and resources.