Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I too enjoyed the contributions of all speakers. It is unique in this building to get so much consensus in a room and it is very welcome. The first thing I note is that a few phrases kept repeating themselves, things like resources in respect of overload, on which Deputy Nolan just touched. That is a key issue and a point worth making. When one talks to principals, they all complain of that particular issue. It is something of which we need to be very conscious. Taking Deputy Jim Daly's points on board, there does not seem to be a great deal between all sides in this particular debate. I feel there is potential for some form of forum, which some people spoke about and which is a good idea, at which everybody could get around a table. We are not that far away from consensus on this particular issue. To my mind, listening to the professionals in their contributions, there seems to be a solution within the machinery which already exists. All we need is a bit of tweaking in order to bring everybody's opinions on board.

Boards of management were discussed. I believe it was Mr. Mulconry that made the point about Marty Morrissey and the GAA. That is a well-made point. We are very fortunate to have people who would volunteer to go on boards of management. I would be interested to hear what the witnesses have to say about this, but in my experience I was always of the opinion that people were not queueing up to get on boards of management. That has always been my experience but maybe others have found differently. I understood that it was an onerous task for anybody, particularly somebody who is not qualified or trained in that particular area. I would be interested to hear any feedback from the witnesses in that regard, but my experience has been a case of having to cast a net and try to attract people, rather than parents volunteering. I would be interested in that.

As I said, I do not think we are a million miles away from a solution. The mechanism and the machinery is there for us to do that, if all sides agree.