Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

If cutbacks to education, especially early education, have a devastating impact, not only on individuals but on the economy, and if we are talking about a smart economy and ensuring people will be able to take up opportunities when they arise, we need to be very careful about the kind of decisions that are made in the lead-up to and in the budget. I move an amendment to the Order of Business that the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills would come into the House today to begin this discussion by sector on the budget decisions that will be taken in the next few weeks which will have such a key impact on individuals and families and on the health of the economy.