Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister.

The Minister stated he deals with facts that are put out by himself or his Department. I refer him to the following comment he made on 20 November last to the Joint Committee on Education and Science, that "on Mondays throughout 2008 there were in excess of 12,500 teachers absent on uncertified sick leave and that there was a similar number absent on Fridays". Does he now withdraw that comment, which deliberately misled the members of that committee?

Added to the slur is the dirty little war that the Minister has fought over the past month with Irish teachers who are doing their best and who have one of the lowest rates of absenteeism of any workforce in the country. Will the Minister withdraw that comment and, in doing so, will he be man enough to apologise for the outrageous slur he put on the record of a committee of this House?

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