Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I seek a comment from the Minister on four brief issues. I welcome the fact that he is committed to considering the travel arrangement. That is a welcome development and although I do not know how it will work out in the end, it is important. I urge the Minister to consider the issue I raised earlier about the job opportunities in Germany and to which Deputy Kenny referred. I realise there is a concern that the Minister might appear to be exporting our unemployed or those who cannot obtain employment at the moment, but it would be useful to examine the concept of setting up a channel or mechanism to assist Irish people to get jobs in Europe or to explore where there may be opportunities for them. This would represent a very pragmatic approach and one from which we should not shy away.

The Taoiseach referred to Europe and the real advantage Ireland has over our competitors in terms of quality and safety standards in food and drink production. It is very important to return to this area. Is the Minister of the view that his European colleagues are satisfied with regard to the safety and quality of Irish food? I refer to the traditional issue of BSE disease and the pork scare. For example, my understanding is that our market share of beef in Germany was reduced dramatically at the time of the BSE scare and has never recovered. Will the Minister discuss the matter with his colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with a view to renewing our efforts to get back a certain market share of beef in Germany.

The Taoiseach referred to the direct link between jobs, growth and the alleviation of poverty. I refer to a submission by Fr. Seán Healy of Social Justice Ireland at the Joint Committee on European Affairs meeting last week. The 2020 document had no overt reference to social exclusion. Will the Minister re-examine the submission made by Social Justice Ireland to try to secure commitments to the alleviation of poverty in that document? I realise the Taoiseach made reference to it and perhaps it has been somewhat amended at this stage. Fr. Healy made a worthwhile contribution at the committee.

The area of education to which I alluded briefly is a national competence. I gather the term used in the speech is the "target for educational attainment". As a former Minister for Education and Science, the Minister will probably have strong views on this matter and I wish to hear them. I realise every time a politician is here, he or she will say such and such should be on the curriculum. By the same token, I maintain the curriculum is too expansive at this stage to the extent that the basics of literacy and numeracy skills have suffered because there is not sufficient time to place an emphasis on them. These are the most important aspects of early education and they are formed at the most suitable period for the development of language skills for children. This should be examined but at exclusion of what I do not know. However, perhaps with the new agreement between the public sector unions and the Government for longer working hours, this could be fitted in. Does the Minister have a view on this matter?

During Question Time yesterday I raised the matter of the use of Irish passports in Dubai. I do not wish to return to this because it is like the draining of the Shannon, but did it come up at the Council meeting?

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