Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the U-turn confirmed yesterday by the Minister for Education and Skills, that he will reverse the proposed cuts to disadvantaged DEIS schools. I have a major concern, however, because in my view the Minister is setting one child off against another. On the basis of this review, which overturns the previous decision on DEIS schools, he is now increasing the cut to capitation grants for all other schools.

We have had lengthy debates here on education. It seems to me that this proposal was stopped because the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, strong-armed the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, on DEIS schools. However, what about smaller schools and minority faith schools, which I have mentioned on numerous occasions in the House? In the minority faith schools, 65% of Church of Ireland schools are negatively affected by the Government's proposals, yet when the issue was debated the Minister did not see fit to come to the House but sent in the Minister of State, Deputy Ciarán Cannon. Will the Leader and the Government parties ask for a review in respect of smaller, rural and minority faith schools?

I draw to the attention of the House the impending crisis in the children's hospitals in Dublin. People may have heard a radio interview this morning on foot of the fact that trolley waiting times in Crumlin hospital have increased 700% in the past three years but have become particularly acute in the past 12 months. That also relates to the Children's University Hospital in Temple Street. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, has come in and made great play of the special delivery unit; that seems to be all he speaks about here. What specific plan has the Government in place to address the fact that a sizeable proportion of children who are going to the children's hospital are being discharged without seeing a consultant or doctor, given that the waiting times have increased by 700% in the past three years and have been particularly acute in the past 12 months? We have discussed the importance of education for children. All of us would agree that health and health care for children are of paramount importance. What will the Minister do in respect of the two children's hospitals in the city?

At 10.30 this morning the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, announced his plan for the sale of State assets. I reject the fact that the Minister is announcing the plan to the media rather than the Houses of the Oireachtas. He is attending a press conference. This is the trend with the Government - all major announcements are made to media when they should be made to the elected Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Government keeps trotting out the excuse that the sale of State assets was agreed by the previous Government. That is not true. The original memorandum of understanding of December 2010 refers to the possible privatisation of State assets. The Government agreed and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, confirmed this on 5 October 2011, when he said "we included a figure [we, being this Government] of €2 billion in this regard in the programme for Government and we intend to realise that". I ask the Leader to give a commitment to provide time next week to debate the sale of State assets because at 10.42 a.m. the media will already know, ahead of elected Members, what the Government is proposing to sell.