David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

When this side of the House calls for something and receives most of what it has called for, it is important that we welcome this. I welcome the €1.5 billion made available in the capital programme for the building of new schools. This is good news for the schools in question and it is also good news for teachers because more of them will be employed. Some 15,000 jobs will also be created. However, there are questions that Members on all sides of the House will want the Minister to address. Last December he said €2 billion would be made available, but that sum has been reduced. Where did the €500 million go? Some 27% of Irish language primary schools and 38% of post-primary Irish language schools are still in prefabricated accommodation. The Leader will know that in his own county of Waterford, Gaelscoil Philib Barún in Tramore has been housed in prefabs for 27 years. It has long lobbied for funding, yet it is not on the list. Throughout the country there are examples of schools where children are still being taught in prefabs. Schools without even a board of management have been allocated funding, yet schools such as the one I mentioned in Tramore is not on the list. While I welcome the money that has been made available - and it is good news for schools that receive funding - there are many schools that have lost out. Those boards of management have questions and have asked us to put them to the Minister for Education and Skills. On foot of that positive announcement, the Minister should attend the House to answer our concerns. We can then revert to those boards of management in schools that have lost out.