Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. The word "education" is derived from the Latin term educo, which means to lead out, which is the task for anyone who is a teacher or lecturer. One is an educator and as such one must be able to communicate. Looking back through the mists of time I recall some of my lecturers. One was John Killeen and another was Michael Jordan, who was an amazing man and Neil Jordan's father. Both men were great communicators who inspired their students and gave everyone the added value to move on. Unfortunately, not everybody has such attributes. One can improve oneself through communication and education courses. One can learn to stand before a large number of people and improve on one's delivery. However, education costs an awful lot of money nowadays and parents invest so much in their children. Research is hugely important and one of my daughters is in research at Maynooth University. If one pays a lot of money, and even if one is not paying but the State is, one is entitled to a proper standard of education. I do not know whether we should call students clients or customers but I know that when one buys a product one is a customer, in my opinion.