John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I join with Senators who have called for a discussion on the economy and, as Senator Rónán Mullen suggested, the McCarthy report. I also agree with my colleague, Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, who called for a debate on agriculture, especially in light of the fact so many people have lost jobs in the construction sector and are looking towards agriculture, at which they did not look for a number of years, for a viable future. That viable future does not seem to exist. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has not come to the House for a debate and he has been correctly the subject of much criticism recently because of the savage cutbacks delivered by the Government on agriculture and the rural community.

Will the Leader arrange a discussion with the Minister for Education and Science or the Minister for Transport, whoever is directly responsible for school transport? Last year or the previous one, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, gave a commitment that the catchment area boundaries would be revisited. They were established in the late 1950s to early 1960s. There have been significant cutbacks in funding for school transport, and there will be more. In my region, the south east, funding has been cut by almost one third this year alone. If catchment areas were updated, the Government might save more money in outlay and deliver a service for families and children who cannot get to the schools they attend because of the outdated catchment area boundaries drawn up in the late 1950s and early 1960s. I urge the Leader, as a matter of urgency, to ensure this issue is covered in advance of the budget.