Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I ask the Leader of the House to impress on the Minister for Education and Science the urgency to call together immediately the ASTI and the school managerial bodies, so that we will not go in to 2003 with a renewed dispute on supervision and substitution in second level schools. Through the insistence and stubbornness of the previous Minister, this dispute has already cost €27 million which would have been a major bonus had it been available to deliver services at any level in education. It is essential that the Minister should take a hands-on approach in this regard to bring together the various parties to resolve the very minor issues, caused by misinterpretation or whatever, which are still outstanding. It is essential that this matter is resolved urgently.

Has the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform taken a new hard line in relation to immigrants? Will the Leader highlight to the Minister the issue of 19 Bangladesh people being refused visas?