Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue, at long last, in the Chamber with the Minister, Deputy Bruton. The issue has left the headlines because of the Garda dispute but it is of serious concern and worry to parents and students around the country. We have probably all experienced a teacher strike in our lifetime and one day off here or there is probably considered a bit of a bonus for children. However, I attended a careers fair a couple of weeks ago and the number of secondary school students who came to me to express their worry about the ASTI industrial disputes - there is more than one - was just incredible. Students are deeply worried and parents are quite stressed out, wondering what is going to happen next week. I suppose I am asking the Minister to set out an update on the position of the talks with ASTI. There are talks going on regarding the current strike and industrial action and I also understand there are talks ongoing about junior certificate reform and the 10% figure for marks, which is another serious concern for parents that is becoming more of a talking point.

As my colleague, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, said this morning to the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, there are a number of sides to this and the fundamental duty of the State in the case of the Minister for Education and Skills is to provide education to our students. What is his contingency plan in the event of action escalating next week and schools having to close? Is he planning to notify parents of what is happening throughout the country, as there is considerable confusion? Although the matter is chaotic, there is confusion being added to the chaos of the Government's planning.

What is the Minister doing to engage directly with ASTI members, as I have done, to explain what is in the Lansdowne Road agreement and try to persuade them of its merits? There is considerable merit in the Lansdowne Road agreement and the Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO, and the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, see that as well. It is unfortunate that ASTI members are getting left behind with regard to some of the improvements, particularly the improvement negotiated during the summer relating to young teachers. The Minister could go one step further in helping resolve the issue by saying the Government supports equal pay scales for all workers. That statement has proven difficult to get from Ministers and the Government over the past number of weeks but it would make a significant difference.

What have been the engagements of the Minister and the Department? Today, we were due to have a meeting of the Oireachtas education committee but the Department and ASTI requested that the meeting would not take place in public today. The committee agreed on the basis that, one could presume, some progress was being made in talks. We will certainly hold the meeting next week if that progress does not come about. I hope our assumption was correct. I look forward to hearing the Minister's response and what he has been doing. Many people are watching this so I hope to hear him explain to parents what will happen next week. Quite frankly, most people are in the dark.

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