asked the Minister for Education the reasons for the cut back in the provision of audio-visual aids to post primary schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Audio-Visual Aids.
32.
The provision for this purpose was reduced by the previous administration, presumably for budgetary reasons, from £370,000 in 1976 to £200,000 in 1977.
In his generosity may I take it that the Minister will raise the sum for the current year because it has come to my knowledge that a number of schools have suffered? In view of the Minister's earlier statement to the House I am sure he would wish to have the moneys restored to their former value taking inflation into account.
When I was a schoolboy I used to get up at 4 o'clock in the morning, go to the fair at Ballyjamesduff with my father, where hard bargains were driven. I am going to drive as hard a bargain as I can with the Minister for Finance in the interests of audio-visual and school technology —as hard a bargain as I can. I was trained in a good, hard school.
I will look forward to the Minister's autobiography but, in the meantime——
It will be profitable and interesting. I thought as a man from Ballybricken the Deputy would be interested in that last remark.
I am calling Question No. 33.
In the context of the present problems, if the Minister were to introduce a Supplementary Estimate in the House I can assure him of the full support of the Fine Gael Party at least.
Thank you, Deputy. I will try to make up for the sins of my predecessors.
We all sin.
And the sins of my immediate predecessors.