Tom McEllistrim (Kerry North, Fianna Fail)

I call on the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, to give every primary school a tricolour and a flagpole to mark the 90th anniversary of the Easter 1916 Rising. Not every primary school has a tricolour and I urge Deputy Hanafin to present each national school with a flag. Fianna Fáil's founder and Ireland's former Taoiseach and President, Mr. Éamon de Valera, gave the tricolour constitutional status in 1937 but the flag's history stretches back to the 1916 Rising, when it was flown from the General Post Office in Dublin, and before. Although the flag was not the actual flag of the 1916 Rising, which was a green flag with a harp and the words "Irish Republic", the tricolour became the emblem of Irish nationalism and, later, our official flag. The 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising is a unique opportunity to give each of our primary schools a tricolour to celebrate our shared history and the achievement of our forefathers.

The tricolour is a deeply symbolic flag. Its colours capture our nation's past and the prospect of a lasting peace forged by the Good Friday Agreement. Our younger generation should be constantly reminded of Ireland's national identity and take pride in our history. As convener of the Joint Committee on Education and Science I believe civic education should be a staple of the primary school curriculum where children can learn how politics and people have shaped our country. I ask the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, to present a tricolour and flagpole to each principal so that it can fly above primary schools countrywide.

The Irish tricolour is intended to symbolise the inclusion and hopeful union of the people of different traditions on the island of Ireland. It was flown during the 1916 Rising and, capturing the national imagination as the banner of the new revolutionary Ireland, the tricolour came to be acclaimed throughout the country as the national flag. It continued to be used officially during the period 1923 to 1937 when its position as national flag was formally confirmed by our new Constitution, Article 7 of which states: "The national flag is the tricolour of green, white and orange."

The national flag is flown on St. Patrick's Day, our national holiday, on Easter Sunday and Monday in commemoration of the 1916 Rising and the national day of commemoration on the Sunday closest to 11 July. It would give an opportunity for school children to learn about the history of the flag, the guidelines for its use, its design, significance and the display placing and precedents of the flag, hoisting and lowering the flag, saluting and learning to respect it and to learn about the special occasions on which the national flag is flown. A booklet on the national flag should be sent to each national school and it should be included in the curriculum. The European flag, a blue flag with gold stars, was given to each national school in Ireland, so why not our own national flag?

It is important to honour and have respect for the flag. As Irish people it is part of our identity, and is our symbol and our national flag. We should teach school children about it. It is more important than ever with peace in Northern Ireland. As a former teacher I believe it would be great to have the flag in all schools. The Irish flag is a symbol of our nation and instils pride in our people. Every Irish person's heart swelled with pride when the Irish flag was raised at the last Olympics.

Our children need to learn its history and the meaning of its three colours — green, white and orange. As schools are now multicultural it is even more important that Irish people learn about their own flag. We must retain our Irishness as well as embracing other cultures. Symbols form an important part of learning and are particularly relevant for young children. Children need to know their history and one's national flag is part of this history. Knowledge is power and informed children can inform others about their flag whereas uninformed children cannot. Schools are State buildings and if they had the flag they could raise it or fly it at half mast to show solidarity with the rest of the country in times of joy as well as times of sadness or national disaster. While the 1916 commemoration takes place in Dublin, every parish, if its school had the flag, could take part in the ceremony by having the flag at its school on that day. It would help to add a local element to the national commemoration ceremony.

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