Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be very brief but I am heartened again by these latest contributions I compliment Deputy Jim Daly for bringing this forward and that we are able to have this conversation. I think Ms Doyle mentioned earlier in her contribution that there needs to be prevention rather than resolution and that this is key. It is important that we do not lose sight of that. From what I have heard this afternoon, the charter is the vehicle we can work with and develop as we go along in order that we minimise the 2% of difficulties, or maybe lower than that, that we have.

I enjoyed the contribution about boards of management. We as a society owe a great deal to the parents who serve on boards of management. Without them we would be in a much weaker position. When my children were going to school it was very difficult to get parents to go on boards of management and I am interested if it has become any easier in the period since then. I am aware of difficulties in a local rural area where there were problems. Sometimes, for members of boards of management, where issues are not resolved to a satisfactory level for those involved, there can be a historic aspect that goes on in the community where people can be divided, sometimes for a very long time thereafter. That is very unfortunate. It is not for today, but maybe a discussion on boards of management like Ms Dempsey mentioned, would be very worthwhile and is something that needs to be addressed.

I am heartened by the charter. I am happy about Dr Muldoon's contribution and that in the future the Minister will be able to make a binding decision in regard to any issue. For all involved it is a good thing to have on the table so that everyone knows from the get-go that if the people involved cannot find a resolution then ultimately the Minister can make a direction. That is very helpful and it might focus the minds of all involved from the outset.

I am easy about whether we carry on and extend the office as it is or establish a new office. I would be inclined to work with what we have in the interim to see how that works out. If, over time, we discover that there are still problems, then, perhaps we should look at a designated office solely for that purpose.