Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I look forward to such a debate.

I wish to thank the task force. I established it having been asked by teachers, and particularly by the ASTI and the TUI, to tackle this issue. The group of people who were assembled to so do came from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences which they brought to bear during their consideration of the issue.

All Members want to ensure that there are proper learning and teaching environments and that the right of every child to learn and the right of every teacher to teach should be maintained. When I publish the report, I will set out my approach to the issue in terms of how I intend to implement its recommendations and also to ensuring that the necessary measures will have the requisite funding for its implementation in the coming years. The interests of education and of all children within the existing school system and within the existing alternative system is one which I intend to pursue.

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