Results 361-380 of 1,030,321 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Martin Browne) in 'Committee meetings'

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael McNamara: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I also thank Deputies McGrath and Healy-Rae for their kind words, and Independents across Ireland South who helped me in the recent election campaign. In the limited time available to me, I will very much focus on this motion, which is very important. I find the Government's rationale around GDP and the proportion of GDP spending to be somewhat...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I congratulate Deputy McNamara. I send my condolences to the Ó Muircheartaigh family. I commend Deputy Harkin on putting the motion forward. The same problem is in schools throughout the country, and in work and the price of work and so on. What no one understands is that over the past number of years, costs have gone up. Unfortunately, the likes of the capitation grant, and I...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Marian Harkin: The Minister told us she recognises the challenges facing schools in regard to funding. There is only one way to deal with that, which is to increase the levels of funding. Unless we say principals and teachers are making up the figures they presented to us - I do not believe they are - as I said, it is essential that a very significant increase in funding is delivered in the next budget. ...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: I thank the Independent Group for bringing forward this timely and important motion. We all received the briefing last week and it was one of the most intense briefings that I have attended to date. It was incredibly interesting to note that the role of principals has not been reviewed since 1974. We heard from a principal who is a special needs teacher four days of the week and...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: On behalf of the Government, I welcome the opportunity to close what has been an insightful and informative discussion about this important matter. The many issues raised and statements made today will feed into the Department's ongoing commitment to the provision of funding and other supports to the primary school system. As the Minister, Deputy Foley, said, the Government is aware that...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael Ring: For the Rural Independent Group, Deputies Mattie McGrath, Michael Collins, Michael Healy-Rae and O'Donoghue are sharing time. I ask them to respect one another's time.

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Mattie McGrath: Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a ghabháil leis an Teachta McNamara. I congratulate Deputy McNamara, who is in the Chamber. It is great to see him here in the aftermath of his being elected as an MEP. I look forward to engaging with him in that role. We fully endorse the motion. It is evident there is chronic underspending by Government on primary schools. I thank Nóirín...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael Collins: The chronic underfunding of education is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. The future of our children and nation depend on it. The Government must take decisive action to ensure that all students, regardless of background or needs, have access to a quality education. The capitation grant barely covers energy and electricity costs, with little or no funding left to cover...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael Healy-Rae: I, too, warmly welcome the elevation of Deputy Michael McGrath, now MEP, and wish him every good luck.

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael McNamara: Deputy McGrath has done a bit better than that.

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael Healy-Rae: Sorry, Deputy McNamara. There are two elevations. The findings of the survey conducted by the Catholic Primary School Management Association highlighted a concerning reality. The fact that seven out of ten primary schools have run at a deficit at some point over the past twelve months indicates a significant financial strain on our education system. This strain is due to insufficient core...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: I thank the teachers, SNAs, cleaners, communities, caretakers, parents and schoolchildren who go above and beyond to make sure their schools stay open. The work they do outside of what is funded by Government goes above and beyond. Look at what smaller schools have to do. They do not get the same funding as schools with more than 100 students. There are criteria whereby smaller schools -...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: A number of years ago, we passed a referendum to put children first, but when one listens to the testimonies of the school principals who were in Leinster House last week or of the parents, teachers and SNAs who attended our recent meetings on special education, what they describe is a dire crisis in our schools and the Government's complete failure to adequately resource, staff and fund...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Seán Canney: I welcome the sixth class boys and girls and their teachers from my national school in Belclare in Galway. They are welcome to this great House. I thank Belle Keating for organising the trip with me. It is appropriate that national schools are present when we are discussing funding primary schools. I thank Deputy Harkin and her team for tabling this motion. The Minister of State...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Paul Murphy: I am going to share time. I welcome the motion and note that the Government has not tabled an amendment to it, which means it is going to allow the motion to pass with no intention of implementing its demands for dramatic reductions in pupil-teacher ratios, investment according to OECD averages and so on. It makes something of a farce of this place, to be honest. Our primary schools have...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Duncan Smith: I thank Deputy Harkin and the Independent Group for bringing forward this motion. I have a speech prepared but I received an email from a principal in a school in my constituency at 10.05 a.m. which I would like to put on record because it relates to funding challenges for the provision of autism classes, which is within the broader scope of this motion. There is a school in my...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Gary Gannon: I thank the Independent Group for this timely motion. It is an important motion for discussion as schools start to wind down at the end of the year and have an opportunity to rest and to start looking at what they had to do just to keep the lights on during the past year. Primary schools nationwide face a funding crisis. They face crises on multiple fronts but funding is to the fore....

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Brian Stanley: I welcome this opportunity to address this with the Minister because I have been contacted by a number of schools across Laois-Offaly in recent weeks regarding the funding crisis and they have outlined to me the dire financial situation they are in. I have also met the Irish National Teachers Organisation and the Irish Primary Principals Network to listen to them and their concerns about the...

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Michael Ring: Thank you, Deputy. You are sharing your time.

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Brian Stanley: The Minister should do the right thing.