Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will not repeat what has been said but it is important to realise secretaries are the cornerstone of the smooth running of any school. The Minister, like Deputy Catherine Martin, is a former múinteoir scoile, and he will know that better than most. Any of us who have taken our children to school, particularly one attended by a few hundred students, be it a secondary or a national school, will know how much work those secretaries have to do. It is essential this issue be dealt with. I hope the Minister will take it by the scruff of the neck and sort it out as quickly as possible.

Like Deputy Smyth, I welcome the Minister's decision on history but he now needs to deal with the issue concerning secretaries and realise their role and function are vital. These secretaries cannot be treated differently from other school secretaries. When we consider only 10% of school secretaries come under the Department, that shows there is a huge cohort of people who need to be treated properly and respectfully. Things change, and they have to do so. This is a wealthy country in many respects. People often say we cannot afford this but I am sure the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, would agree education is the cornerstone of our society. We must ensure all these situations are rectified to ensure there are no shortcomings regarding our schools. As has been said, this issue is not the fault of the schools. The Department needs to pony up and sort this out as soon as possible. The Minister can see that Fórsa wants to engage and to sort this out.

See this speech in context