Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the debate and I thank Members for the constructive manner in which it was conducted. I am delighted that Senator Norris, a very able, astute and sensible Senator is a strong advocate for education and I enjoyed his contribution. In the limited time available to me, I will respond to questions asked but I wish also to refer to the financial situation and the difficulties the Government faces.

The Government has an absolute commitment to education, which is clear from its track record over the past decade. It has provided substantial additional resources, including an extra 15,000 teachers in primary and post-primary schools, supports for children with special needs, social inclusion measures and a substantial schools building programme. A lot has changed in the past year and the foremost imperative is that we stabilise the public finances. It is only by doing so that we can shelter the gains made and put ourselves in the position of being able to make improvements in the future.

The 2009 budget measures mean that the Department of Education and Science was one of just three Departments that has an increased budget for 2009 but it still required tough decisions to be taken to manage within the funding available. The financial situation has, unfortunately, deteriorated further since the budget. The Government took decisive action last week in order to deliver further reductions in public expenditure this year. Those measures have been introduced in the national interest and to protect future prosperity regardless of the implications for political popularity in opinion polls. As the Taoiseach has pointed out, the country is funding close to one third of current spending, including pay, by borrowing and that is not sustainable. Any rational person would agree that we cannot repeat the mistakes that were made by borrowing for everyday spending.

The Government is dealing with the immediate financial difficulties we now face. It has also set out a roadmap for our return to economic prosperity. Education is central to the Government's framework for economic renewal. The Government is sustaining a substantial capital programme and has prioritised investment in the schools capital programme with the reallocation of an additional €75 million this year. That brings the total allocation for school buildings to €656 million, which is an unprecedented level of expenditure.

A Cabinet sub-committee has been established to look at options to maximise upskilling and reskilling opportunities for people who have lost their jobs. I am working closely with my ministerial colleagues to examine a range of policy options. Our strategic investment in Ireland's research and development capacity provides a core economic foundation as we seek to weather current difficulties and to ensure a return to sustainable future growth.

A commitment has been demonstrated to prioritising investment in education in difficult economic circumstances. Sound and responsible government means acting carefully in a measured and balanced way when there is global economic uncertainty. Difficult choices have to be made but they are in the long-term interest of the country and will ultimately enable us to build again on the significant improvements we have made in recent years.

I wish to deal with issues raised by Senators. It is important that I respond to some of the issues raised by Senator Healy Eames. One of the points she made was that the Government was putting buildings before people. I do not agree with her that this is what we are doing. I thought that my building programme would sustain 3,500 jobs. The chairman of the OPW reckoned that my building programme alone this year would sustain up to 7,000 jobs. I see economists——