Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)

It was encouraging over the weekend to hear a nice message from the Restaurants' Association of Ireland thanking the Government for the reduction in VAT and confirming that they will be in a position to hire more people and, it is to be hoped, to reduce prices and stimulate growth in the economy. We must make sure all the businesses that have been affected by the reduction in VAT pass on those reductions to their customers so we can see people beginning to spend again.

I join with a previous Senator who requested the Leader to ask the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the House for discussions on the reconfiguration of the VECs and the impact this will have on accommodation and staffing. I would also like to raise with the Minister the issue of school accommodation. There is a long-established gaelscoil in the town of Loughrea, in my area, which is operating entirely out of prefabricated buildings. In this day and age, this is not acceptable. We want to see permanent accommodation put in place. I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the House as soon as possible for a discussion on educational matters.