Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

This matter needs to be addressed immediately. I have never before heard of a bank reneging on a commitment such as that described by Senator Coghlan.

This morning we learned from the ESRI that between now and next year 300,000 more people will be on the live register. I am particularly concerned about the pressures on parents and the fall-out this will cause in education.

University students are about to start their examinations. On the doorsteps, parents have informed me that if fees are returned, an Arts degree will cost approximately €6,000 to €8,000 extra next year. The costs for, say, a dentistry degree would be far more. Ireland is the second most expensive country in the EU, apart from the UK, for university. It costs €10,000 a year for a student to cover living costs.

Yesterday on "Liveline" I heard some schools are charging registration fees of €100. What is the status of that? These are cash-strapped schools. Who will again have to pay but the parent? Up to 2,000 young teachers will graduate this year but will have no jobs. Who again will it fall back on but their parents?

I have one instance of where 137 children for English as a second language will be divided between two teachers. We must think of the effect this will have on the children. Ultimately, it is the parents who are concerned. It is time the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, got their act together and produced a co-ordinated approach to education and its importance to the economy. Can we have a joint debate between these two Ministers?