Simon Harris
Wicklow · Fine Gael · Ireland
“There are more than 10,000 routes and thousands of buses involved and the number of students using the services is not a million miles away from 200,000. The current terms of the scheme are going to continue to apply for the 2026-27 school year.”
“I thank Deputy McDonald for raising what is genuinely an important issue. I do take the point that when we talk about this in the abstract or from a process point of view in here, that for people watching this is their real lived experience.”
“There number of children who have been supported by means of the school transport scheme, as Deputy Fitzmaurice knows and has alluded to, has grown significantly in recent years. Since 2018, the number increased from 120,000 in 2018 to more than 181,000 now. Included in that figure are 24,000 pupils with special educational needs.”
“I knew the Deputy would have to mention the GAA, especially with Galway and Limerick playing at the weekend. I wish everybody involved the best of luck. We are very committed to the school transport scheme. If the Deputy wants to see our commitment, he should look to our budget.”
“An ageing population, increasing healthcare needs, the transition to net zero and the need for continued investment in housing, energy and infrastructure will place a significant demand on public resources.”
“There is also a legitimacy to the point the Deputy made about how it is a legitimate form of transport for some people. We see this working in other European countries. We see it in our nearest neighbours. I do not want to get the regime wrong, but I think they have registration at the point of purchase that allows people to track this.”
The complete record
Every one of 4,585 lines we hold for Simon Harris, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 30 of 92.
“Is Deputy Carthy now the champion of the private health insurance sector? I am confused here. We are delivering in the public sector. Everything we are doing is about making sure that, regardless of means, you can access healthcare in a time-efficient manner. That is the policy direction of the Government.”
“The Deputy has missed an important point, which is that this Government is advancing Sláintecare. It is advancing the creation of a universal healthcare system, and the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is leading on the full implementation of the public-only consultant contract. I hear much commentary about vested interests who have pushed back against making sure that public facilities are used for public patients and there is not that inequality that existed in the past. That is further reducing any suggestion that private health insurance is benefiting-----”
“Obviously, the linkage between public funding and ensuring we have some degree of public oversight of the directive of travel is important. I say that from a position of being pretty sure there is good collaboration, good relations and good structure. The meeting the Minister of State had this morning with the National Disability Services Association is an important and constructive example of that, and we will continue to have that engagement.”
“That is fair. The Government wants to have constructive conversations about how we meet the shared challenges. All of this is about the service user, the person with the disability and making sure that, regardless of whether you attend a section 38 or section 39 service or a fully funded HSE service, it should not make a difference to you as a service user. Therefore, we have to work out sometimes innovative ways to make sure there is that consistency in approach, while recognising there are different structures in these organisations. Of course, this is not news to anybody. We will continue to want to have a shared discussion about reform and making sure we are all delivering as much service as we can to the front line. I know that is a shared objective across the sector. I do not doubt that.”
“The agreement also includes an automatic link to future public sector pay agreements for these workers to match the terms of all future pay adjustments. In many ways, we were rightly trying to deal with legacy issues in that deal. We now have that link with future public sector agreements, which I hope will be of great assistance in the time ahead.”
“From memory, I think there was an increase of approximately 20%, or €618 million, in funding this year. A significant portion of that will work its way, for want of a better phrase, into many of the disability organisations referenced. The Deputy also referenced the issue of pay, which is valid. The Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, pay funding agreement, reached last year between Departments and unions, includes funding for a 9.25% pay increase for workers in community and voluntary health and social care organisations. It recognises that staff in these organisations need to be fairly paid for the vital work they do. This was a landmark step. The Minister, Deputy Foley, in particular, did a lot of work on it, and I acknowledge that.”
“We have a Cabinet committee on disability and we now have an implementation structure to drive forward the national disability strategy. I will be clear, as the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, and the Minister, Deputy Foley, were, that we need to continue investing in and supporting organisations like section 39 bodies. We need to do that in the short and medium term as issues arise and we work our way through that. We also need to do it in the longer term. As Deputy Byrne knows and acknowledged in his contribution, we have seen a significant increase in disability funding this year. There is legitimate commentary, as there always is, after a budget about different decisions we took or did not take. One of the better decisions we made as a collective this year was to significantly increase our funding for disability services.”
“That is why my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, who has responsibility for disability services, met with the National Disability Services Association this morning. I know of her direct engagement with four section 39 organisations, including some the Deputy mentioned, namely, Cheshire Home, Enable Ireland, Vision Ireland and Acquired Brain Injury Ireland as well. There was a conversation with them on many of the issues relating to sustainability and how they continue to deliver vital disability services across the country. They are playing a constructive role. They are fully part of and embedded in the national disability strategy and the direction in which we are taking that. The Government, right up to the Taoiseach, takes this issue seriously.”
“That person has very good judgment, and I agree with them about my brother. I thank the Deputy for this raising this important issue. As he said, I also know well many of these organisations in the counties we represent, Wicklow and Wexford. I join the Deputy and everybody in this House in thanking them for the work they do. I remember visiting Saint Aidan's Services, Cheshire Home, Enable Ireland and many of these projects and services across the country. We value their work. We must have, as I hope and think we do, a collaborative and mutually respectful relationship. So much of our service provision is provided by these organisations. We value and respect that, and we want to work with them.”
“Instead of all just coming in here and slinging insults at each other, let us actually pass legislation that might make a blind bit of difference to people. That is our job. We will bring forward critical infrastructure legislation. On the flood forecasting, Met Éireann does a very good job. I thank Met Éireann for the job that it does but we need to have a conversation about what information we can usefully make available to help. When people hear that there is a yellow rain warning that has a very different context depending on the river levels and depending on the levels of saturation. After every storm, it is important to reflect on that.”
“I am going to answer Deputy Tóibín's question. I am very proud of the record we have in delivering many flood relief schemes across the country. I can think of Clonmel, west Cork, Mayo, and I can think of many. I am equally frustrated, as is Deputy Tóibín, but nowhere near as frustrated as the people of the communities affected, that it is taking far too long to deliver far too many. That is why in our general election campaign we talked about a new approach to infrastructure. That is why when this Government came together we agreed to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure. It is why we are identifying specific areas of need as critical infrastructure. It is why we intend to legislate for that this year with the co-operation of the Opposition.”
“Lives, livelihoods and homes have to be at the top of the pecking order when it comes to our planning system. Let us be honest that sometimes that does not always seem to be the way. We hear about the mussel delaying the flood relief scheme in Enniscorthy. It is the people of Enniscorthy that I am concerned about. Our critical infrastructure Bill will specifically address the fast-tracking of flood relief schemes. In my second answer, I will come back on the flood forecasting piece. We will be having a Cabinet committee specifically on storms and floods in a very short time to stock take all of the various flood relief schemes and to look at the lessons of Storm Éowyn and the progress that has been made in relation to that. I am very happy for the relevant Minister to provide an update.”
“I accept the Deputy's point that it is taking far too long to deliver far too many. The Deputy referenced Enniscorthy and I too want to reference that. This is a scheme where we have committed the funding. Some €51 million is committed to the Enniscorthy project under the national development plan. That remains the position. We now need to see how we can accelerate flood relief schemes. I am not just saying that today. The House will remember that we published the accelerating infrastructure task force report just before Christmas. We will be bringing to this House a critical infrastructure Bill. We have to recognise there are some things, such as environmental issues and individual views people can have, that matter but there is also something else that matters, which is the public good.”
“He will be looking to see what can be done in the here and now to assist communities as well. The Deputy made two specific points. I could stand here and list a number of flood relief schemes that have been delivered, the significant benefits of which we are seeing in areas of our country that used to flood but which do not now experience that flooding. That, however, is cold comfort to the communities that are waiting and I am conscious of that. The Deputy will understand why I do not accept the assertion that nothing has been done in relation to flood relief. In fact, I would point to significant progress and money that has been spent right across the country delivering flood relief schemes that are really helping to protect homes, communities and businesses.”
“I remind people that the Government financial schemes of assistance are now both open. There is a scheme in relation to homeowners under the Department of Social Protection, and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, has made that clear. There is also a scheme under the Department of enterprise for businesses affected, and the Minister, Deputy Burke, made that clear yesterday. Our national emergency co-ordination group, and the humanitarian subgroup of that, are meeting daily and will meet again today to continue to assess the situation and co-ordinate responses as required. The Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, is currently visiting communities that have been affected. I know he was in Dublin earlier today and he has been in Wicklow. I believe he is going to Enniscorthy to meet with people there today. That is important.”
“I thank Deputy Tóibín for raising the issue and asking the questions. First, I just want to be conscious in my own comments that there are still weather warnings in place in our country. The weather event that many communities are experiencing is still ongoing, with particular warnings for Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford. There is more rain forecast over the coming days and flooding will continue to be a risk due to saturated ground conditions and very elevated river levels. I urge everyone to continue to exercise caution as conditions can change quickly, to monitor the Met Éireann forecasts and to follow the advice of local authorities. I want to thank all the local authority crews, the ESB crews and others who are working hard with communities and often in very adverse conditions.”
“The Minister is well able to handle herself, and I am sure she will pursue this. There is a direct correlation between supply and demand and affordability. The Deputy is right. We all want to see more affordable homes. We know that one of the things that drives up prices is if there is more demand for homes than supply, and, therefore, we have to increase supply. I think we agree on that point. I fundamentally disagree that we do not need more planning applications or more planning permissions granted. We absolutely do. We also need more land zoned. I am getting pretty tired of the local authorities that think they have done enough. We need to over-zone land because not all zoned land actually correlates to new housing developments. Every local authority now needs to look at what it can do to make sure there is enough zoned land.”
“The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is reminding us of the irony of knocking on doors, looking for votes, at the same doors that you opposed ever being built. It is something we should all reflect on in this House. We all come under pressure in our communities to object to this and object to that. Sometimes-----”
“If only it was serviced." That is why, this week, we announced a €1 billion fund that every local authority, including in Dún Laoghaire, can apply for. It opened this week, and it closes at the end of February. There is an onus on every local authority to realise it is part of the solution here, or part of the problem. It is up to them. They need to put in their applications now to draw down that funding to help put in the road infrastructure, water, wastewater or whatever is needed to open up more sites. In relation to infrastructure, I agree. In relation to viability, we have different views on that, but I believe we have taken a number of measures. We will continue every day to engage constructively with any idea that can help to increase supply further.”
“In Europe now, we actually have one of the strongest rates of home completion in the entire European Union. For every 1,000 people living in Ireland now, 5.9 homes are being completed, whereas the EU average is 3.3. I stand here very aware that there is a housing emergency, very aware that it is the biggest domestic issue bar none, very aware that people are putting life decisions on hold until they can get a home, absolutely, but also very confident that the decisions we are making now, hard at times as they are, will yield real benefits in terms of increased supply. Supply, supply, supply is the way forward in relation to this. We have taken a number of actions. The Deputy made a fair point in relation to the infrastructure that is needed to enable housing. I agree with that. I hear, right across the country, "We have zoned land here.”
“However, unless the Deputy’s view is that the State must build everything, then we need to make sure that it is viable for people to build homes because if it is not, they will not build them. That is how business works, as the Deputy knows. We have already seen very positive indications from the decision we took to reduce the VAT rate in terms of people now being much more interested in building apartments in this country. That is not just my view, by the way. The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland looks at apartments, and it has said there are five categories that it looks at. Before our changes, only two were viable, but now a number more are deemed viable as well, so that is progress. At a European level, there are real housing challenges, so we are not the only country grappling with this.”
“They might not be in RTÉ, when the Deputy was out there the other night, but people do care about planning objections. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and Deputy Barry Ward are coming to work every day, pursuing policies to deliver more houses. Deputy Boyd Barrett is seeing housing schemes in his constituency, and saying, “We don’t want that one, that one and the other one.” That is not helpful or constructive. The Deputy is right that homeless figures are too high, of that there is no doubt. That is why we are continuing to invest more in emergency accommodation. It is also why we have to continue to understand better the composition of our homelessness figures so we can pursue the correct policies. Viability is important. Again, we have different ideological views.”
“I know we come at these things from a very different place ideologically, but we need private investment to help build homes. We do not wish to live in a country where every house is built by the State. Can I just be clear about that? We want to build social homes. I think we are on track to build a very significant number this year, and we will have the figures for 2025. We want to build affordable homes and, heaven forbid, we would also like more private homes, and that ain’t a bad thing either. There are lots of people who want to move out of their box room for the first time. They are not looking for a local authority home in all instances; they are actually looking for a home to buy. Planning objections are a factor in relation to that.”
“-----as well when the term "highest ever" is used. We have had the highest number of first-time mortgage drawdowns ever since figures began and 600 people are getting keys to their first home every week. That is progress. We have a lot more to do, but these figures today give us momentum to build on.”
“Let us build on that work and help more young people get out of their parents' homes. While we are comparing figures, let us compare apples with apples. The population of this country has increased by more than 750,000 over a ten-year period, but the Deputy never wants to factor that in-----”
“The cacophony from those opposite is hard to take. It is the highest number of completions since 2011 - from single-digit thousands to 36,200. Let us build on that. Let us come forward with ideas as to how to take that forward, but let us take at least one minute or a couple of seconds to acknowledge that the number of housing completions for last year exceeded the forecasts of the ESRI, the Central Bank of Ireland, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and, probably, the Deputy's own expectations as well.”
“Sorry, Deputy O'Callaghan is the deputy leader of his party. Maybe Deputy Hearne will get a turn one day. Deputy O'Callaghan is well able; he asked the question. We built 6,000 more homes last year than the year before. That is progress. We built 30,330 in 2024 and 36,284 homes last year. The Deputy does not want any hope in relation to this. The Deputy wants to continue to talk down the progress that is being made. It is the highest number of completions-----”
“We have seen positivity on commencements, namely a doubling of the number between December and November. More first-time mortgages were approved in the first 11 months of 2025 than every before. There is a housing emergency in this country,. It is an emergency if you do not have a roof over your head or are trying to move out of the box room. However, today's figure represents an increase in housing supply, and that is a good thing.”
“There is momentum now, and we have to build on that. The Deputy and I have different policy views, and I respect that. We debate them and we will continue to do so. However, I suggest that some of the policies that we adopted in the budget we have yet to even see the full potential of because they were obviously introduced later in the year. During the course this year, we will begin to see their impact. That is not just my view. The Deputy will have seen the Bank of Ireland economic analysis published this week and what it is hearing from the market in terms of the positive signs of the decisions that we took. We will work constructively with anybody in this House. We have seen the number of planning permissions increase significantly.”
“The ESRI forecast that 35,000 homes would be built. We have exceeded that. The Central Bank of Ireland forecast that 33,500 would be built. We have exceeded that. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council forecast an assumption for this year of 34,500. We have exceeded that. We need to continue to do much more. The plan that this Government has is to deliver 300,000 homes by the end of 2030. This is a positive contribution towards that. It is a significant increase. If the Deputy looks at the graph, he will see that it was the highest number of housing completions since 2011. The Deputy likes to talk about my party being in government a long time. When I came into the Dáil, there were approximately 7,000 homes completed. Has the Deputy looked at the graph? It is the highest number since 2011. Do we want it to be higher? Of course, we do.”
“There is now momentum back in the housing market. The Deputy is correct. That did not happen by accident; it happened as a result of the policies that we are pursuing and that are injecting confidence again in an ability to build in the private sector and a realisation across all parts of the State that this housing emergency is the responsibility of all parts of the State to fix. I refer here to Uisce Éireann, the ESB and local authorities, which need to zone more land as opposed to just passing motions condemning the housing situation. The local authorities actually need to help. Let us be honest. I would say the Deputy was a bit surprised that the figures are as high as they are today. I would not go as far as to say that the Deputy was disappointed, but I would say he was surprised.”
“You would swear the number of new houses was down today, based on that. The number of new homes completed last year represents an increase of 20% on the previous year. For the people listening at home - and just in case they missed the bit at the start - there were almost 6,000 homes built last year than the year before. We are now living in a country where 600 first-time buyers are buying their first homes every week. The Deputy talks about people living in box rooms. Yes, there are too many. He talks about hopelessness. It is not hopeless for those 600 people this week who will get the keys to their homes and begin their lives. These are the people I see, right across my community in Wicklow and right across this country as well. We have completion figures today that show momentum. They are a positive sign.”
“Instead of the prepared lines that he has been working on in front of the mirror this morning, maybe the Deputy should listen to what the Government is saying. We are very clear in relation to our position on this. There is significant value. I do not like the way the Deputy just dismissed the work of those in Bord Bia because they are not out in the rain. Bord Bia is doing incredible work across the world at a time of extraordinary global-----”
“Usually when you deliver your response, it should be in some way linked to what I just said. You have accused me of being evasive. Here it is, really clear: I support the chair of Bord Bia. I think the chair of Bord Bia should continue. I think he should go in front of the agriculture committee. I do not accept Deputy Carthy's smears. I do not agree with his position. That is my position. How is that evasive? It is pretty clear to me. That is a pretty clear position to have.”
“If Sinn Féin's position is that if a person is running a food company that has a contingency plan in place in case anything goes wrong with Irish produce and there is a recall, that person cannot be on the board of a semi-State, then I believe our commercial semi-States would be the worse for that. I hope it emerges at the committee that Irish farmers have benefited significantly from the deal this company, Dawn Farm Foods, has in place. The position of the Government is clear. We look forward to an opportunity for the agriculture committee to pursue this. I would also ask the IFA and ICMSA to take up the offer of meeting with the chair of the board. Every country chair in the IFA is welcome to meet, together or on their own, with the chair of Bord Bia. It is very disappointing that the IFA has not taken up that offer.”
“That is a remarkable achievement and would be a new record for our largest and oldest indigenous industry. There is complexity involved in any trade deal. The Deputy is around here long enough to know that in 2008, when we had the pork dioxin problem, there was a global recall of Irish pork and contingency plans were needed. In any major global deal, contingency plans are needed. To win major global deals that benefit the Irish economy, Irish workers and Irish taxpayers, we have to have a contingency plan. If Sinn Féin's position is that a food company cannot have a contingency plan in place, then that company cannot compete.”
“I agree with the Deputy that there are more important issues we should be discussing on the floor of the Dáil today, including bluetongue, which deserves more than a passing reference, the Common Agricultural Policy and the fact that significant parts of the country are under water. Let the agriculture committee do its job, rather than having a rinse and repeat of the same question I was asked last week. The Government's position has not changed. I also want to say that Bord Bia and its chairman, Mr. Murrin, have presided over massive growth in Irish exports. Does that count for anything in Sinn Féin's book? We have not seen the full figures for 2025 yet, but I will be surprised if the value of Irish food exports does not exceed €20 billion.”
“I understand that he is happy to appear before the Oireachtas agriculture committee, and he should do so. Again, that is an important process. The committee is the right place for the people's representatives, including those from the Deputy's party, to have the opportunity to probe, ask questions, discuss and see, beyond social media posts and gut instinct, whether there is an issue here or whether the chairman actually has a robust and credible explanation. The Oireachtas agriculture committee either has invited or is about to invite the chair to attend a meeting. I know he is willing to attend. A date is being arranged. I hope that meeting can take place next week. It would be helpful for everybody to have a proper, thorough examination.”
“Off with his head" before there was any chance to engage at all. I said to Deputy Doherty then what I say to Deputy Carthy now. Conflicts of interest and perceived conflicts of interest are always important to raise in any corporate governance structure - 100% - but it is also important that processes are followed and that people are given an opportunity to discuss information. I will get to that in a moment. I believe there is information and complexity here that are deliberately being overlooked - possibly even suppressed - in Sinn Féin's presentation of this situation. Mr. Murrin appeared before the board last week. That was the right thing to do. He is the chair of the board. He answered all the questions board members had and had the support of the overwhelming majority of the board of Bord Bia.”
“We will not remove the chair. The Deputy has come for a head and he is not getting one. That is the position of the Government of Ireland. This is a Government that follows due process. This is a Government that does not decide that protest removes people from office. This is a Government that listens and engages. We believe that if a person puts up their hand for public service, which is what serving on a commercial semi-State board is, and makes a positive contribution, then they have the support of the Government. The Sinn Féin position on this has not involved looking for explanations or facts. Its deputy leader is not here today, but he was here last week. Before the board meeting had even taken place, Sinn Féin wanted the chair of Bord Bia gone. It did not even want the meeting to take place. The position was "Go.”
“I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for highlighting this issue. I join him in welcoming the performers and participants from the theatre group. I thank him for reminding us of the horrific horrors that have been experienced there. Culture and art can often be a very important part of shining a spotlight on this and I join with the Deputy in welcoming them.”
“It is a fair point and I, like the Deputy, do not want to pit workers against management because what we are all trying to do here is make sure that people who have not had pension provision before can in the future and that we end the really difficult gap between people who have pensions and do not have them. That is the ultimate aim. As schemes are rolled out, issues will have to be resolved and the Government obviously does not want to see a deviation or reduction in the level of service provision to address pay or pensions issues. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, who has responsibility for auto-enrolment, to take this example the Deputy has given in relation to Clondalkin and to come back to him directly on the issue.”
“I am very sympathetic to and supportive of the point Deputy Scanlon made. The relevant Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and I were just discussing the fact that the money spent on the schemes represents some of the best value achieved by the State in its expenditure. There is no waste or messing around, and the return on investment is good, real, meaningful, tangible and pretty immediate. I am proud of the work we have done together over the past while. It has seen progress. In this regard, the Deputy has talked about the projects delivered in his own constituency. However, he made the point that for each success, many projects need to be delivered. I will engage with the relevant Departments to determine what more we can do to support the schemes, which really help communities, particularly rural ones.”
“It also tells me it will review feedback it is receiving on local connectivity. I detect the scepticism and frustration the Deputy is articulating on behalf of his constituents and therefore I will ask the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, to discuss this matter with him directly and determine whether we can have meaningful engagement with the NTA.”
“I will, indeed. I thank Deputy Ó Muirí very much for raising the issue. Since he raised it with me on a number of occasions, I have a detailed note here. I am a great believer in what he said, namely that if enough people are raising an issue with him and other public representatives in Dublin Bay North, then there is an issue, and that issue needs to be considered with humility and respect, and in a constructive manner, by State agencies. If changes have been made, there is no point in people who do not get a particular bus writing notes to everyone to say that bus is going grand. Therefore, I will certainly speak directly to the Minister for Transport and ask for real and meaningful engagement with public representatives on this. The NTA tells me there was public consultation in advance of the changes.”
“However, I will ask the relevant Minister, Deputy Foley, to engage directly with the Deputy, particularly if there is local concern about Castletroy.”
“I thank Deputy Sheehan very much for raising this important issue. A record number of services are now operating within core funding, with a 5% increase on last year. Four thousand five hundred and fifty-nine services are now signed up for core funding. However, I take the point that a parent of a child in Castletroy concerned about his or her own service will want to know what is going to happen locally in addition to the national numbers. We have very much kicked off some of our key commitments on childcare. We will be reducing childcare costs for 47,000 low-income families by providing them with additional subsidies under the national childcare scheme this year. We saw the capital investment plan announced yesterday as well. The issue of core funding will, of course, be examined as part of the childcare plan, as it must be.”
“I thank Deputy Gogarty. I always find these questions are so broad-ranging. This is an area I need to familiarise myself with more but I believe there is validity to what the Deputy says in that we want to ensure we fully utilise all of the airport infrastructure we have in the country. I am quite sure people in the west would welcome an increased flow there, particularly because so many who go to Dublin end up travelling west. Sitting beside the Minister of State responsible for planning, I am aware we are looking into planning exemptions for EV charging points and the like, which might help with a tangential but nonetheless important issue. I will ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, to consider the Deputy’s suggestion and revert to him directly.”
“I thank the Deputy O’Callaghan for raising the issue. I welcome the people in the Gallery and thank them for being here today. I am trying to familiarise myself with this issue in real time. My understanding is that all homecare services funded by the HSE have now received the pay uplift they were meant to receive through the WRC agreement but that there are a number of services that do not receive direct funding through the HSE. However, I also understand that Northside Home Care Services does receive some section 39 funding in relation to the meals-on-wheels service it provides. I believe the HSE reached out to Northside Home Care Services last week to remind it, the employer, of the process for claiming an uplift in pay funding in respect of the section 39 funding it receives.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for the way she illustrated the serious impact this is having on the community college. I too commend the advocacy of the students. I take her point that they should not have to be doing this, but the pride they take in their school community and their own education is commendable. I certainly urge them to feel free to write to me or the Minister for education. I would be happy to revert to them on this as well. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Naughton, to come back to the Deputy directly on this. I know that the education capital plan is due to be published imminently, in the next couple of weeks. I will ask that the Minister looks at it in that context and comes back to the Deputy directly.”