Michael Conaghan (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and commend her on the work she is doing in education. It is important, innovative work that needs to be done. Perhaps previous Ministers did not give it all the energy and commitment that was required. Earlier this morning, she spoke about SNAs and that is an important element of childhood development, child formation, and literacy. People are impressed by the Minister who has stepped in and taken on these challenges that parents and teachers are talking about.

It is important that the credibility of the centre and other ways of measuring the work of the ERC have a legal standing from both a national and international point of view because many aspects of its work are observed internationally. Giving the centre this status is timely and necessary and I am delighted that this is happening.