Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I acknowledge the commitment by the Government to the agricultural community in the last few hours. The budget has been very fair and honourable towards them, particularly when it comes to the energy crisis they are suffering. That acknowledgement is greatly welcomed by the farming community.

I acknowledge in particular the commitment to primary schools and to the free books scheme, which is a significant development and an important budget measure. As a parent of four who were in primary school last year, I know the weight of schoolbags is a significant issue for many kids. At some stage, we might look at the digital model which happens with another sector of society. Taking all of these school books to school is illogical in many ways. Maybe we could use the scheme to think outside the box.

There is a third issue the Minister of State might clarify in his own time, and I appreciate there are a lot of issues in the budget that need clarification. That issue is the €500 for renters. I have had several queries to my office already from people who are sharing a house about how that model is going to work. I do not have the answer for them so the Minister of State might be able to provide us with that answer. It is a form of accommodation used by many people who rent a room and share the bill but they are not sure who has the tenancy and how it operates. The Minister of State might come back to us regarding how this will benefit that section, including those on the rent-a-room scheme.