Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

I second Senator Darragh O'Brien's amendment to the Order of Business. What is particularly appalling about this budget is the targeting of specific sectors in society, for instance, the targeting of the young disabled, the targeting of the old, the sick and the handicapped who depend on the fuel allowance and the targeting of small schools for a cut in the pupil-teacher ratio, contrary to what Senator Healy Eames has said. Those schools were told they would receive an increase in their pupil-teacher ratio. They were also told by way of a press release to RTE last night, to consider their futures. All those students, teachers and parents involved would have been watching RTE last night when their school was told to consider its future. It is imperative to have a debate with the Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, to discuss small rural schools. Fianna Fáil is proud to have invested heavily in these schools in many parts of the country and in particular in my own constituency. Many schools have 86 pupils or fewer and these schools have been told to consider their future. Senator Healy Eames is telling the people of Connemara and Galway - where I am sure there are many such schools - that the Minister had done a great job and that it is a job well done.