Sean Barrett (Independent)

Like Senators Whelan, Jim D'Arcy and Cullinane I welcome the schools building programme. However, a sour note was expressed on "Morning Ireland" this morning when a spokesman for the Construction Industry Federation said many people would be unhappy to see Northern Ireland builders build these schools. I utterly disagree with that remark. The schools should be built following competitive tendering. Last week I presented evidence in the House and sent it to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, on certain works in Enniskillen. We have a problem with competitiveness in architectural services, mechanical and electrical engineering services, and structural engineering services. However, if we can spend the money in the best way on building, we have more scholar per dollar, as they used to say, which should be the object of the exercise. We are in a European Union free trade area. It is more than 50 years since Seán Lemass and Terence O'Neill tried to promote cross-Border trade. Ignoring the advice of the Construction Industry Federation, the Leader might suggest that the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, and the Minister for Education in Northern Ireland, Mr. O'Dowd, MLA, should do this as a joint project to get the best value for the young people of Ireland. This is an area of profitable consultation and co-operation between the Departments with responsibility for education on both sides of the Border.