Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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We need to attend to several items of business. Just before the meeting started I received an e-mail from Deputy Byrne on the ongoing situation with the ASTI and the Department of Education and Skills. It is incumbent on us as the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to acknowledge that today is the first of eight days of strikes in ASTI schools, which is very regrettable. There are many victims in this, including teachers, parents, students and the community at large. Deputy Byrne has requested that we have a special meeting with the ASTI and the Department. Senator Ó Clochartaigh mentioned this earlier this morning. I thank the secretariat for checking the availability of committee rooms. Next Thursday morning there is availability and I suggest we meet at 10 a.m. and that we invite the ASTI to appear before the committee for the first hour and the Department to appear before us for the second hour. It would not be appropriate to invite both at the same time.