I am sure the Tánaiste is aware that a recent poll in The Irish Times is showing that nearly 90% of people are finding it hard to manage financially. I am hearing directly from families and parents across my constituency that go leor daoine are struggling with bills at home. Many of them are also being asked for voluntary contributions or to hold fundraisers just to keep the local school that their kids are attending afloat in the context of paying for heating, electricity and cleaning. I have introduced legislation on private wires that could help to unlock community energy sharing, as is done in Denmark and Germany. I am also pushing plug-in solar, but that is all I can do. Will the Tánaiste, as the Minister for Finance, ahead of the budget, increase the school capitation grant in order that parents who are already struggling are not forced to go into their own pockets so that their schools can stay afloat?

First, I will not jump over the constructive contributions the Deputy has been making on private wires legislation and the likes. I thank him for that and for his expertise and interest in that, which is valuable to Government. We look forward to working with him on that.

The Deputy will understand that frustrating thing I am going to say about not being able to get into every specific of the budget, other than to say that we did increase capitation last year. That was important and was welcomed. We are listening and engaging with the school communities in relation to their funding base. The Minister for education is in talks with the Minister for public expenditure. We will finalise the package which will be revealed here as part of the national budget on 6 October.