Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

We are not opposing the Order of Business as we support the programme of work the Government has set out for today. Will the Leader tell us when she will provide time for a debate on Iraq? There have been countless calls from all sides of the House since the debate that took place three weeks ago. Will she make an hour or two available at some stage this week? It is not imperative that a Minister be in the House to hear the debate but there are many issues that need to be discussed. My party has today brought forward in the other House a substantive motion which I hope the Government will support, that Ireland take a leading role in relation to the humanitarian relief now so urgently required in Iraq, given the scale of the conflict taking place. I ask the Leader to make time available this week for a debate on this important issue.

As the Leader is aware, thousands of our schoolchildren and their parents have protested on the streets today about the crisis in the Government's plans to refurbish and extend school buildings. More than 700 primary schools up and down the country are awaiting important work on their school premises. Will the Leader provide time over the next week or so for a debate on the matter? It is wrong that students, parents, managers, teachers and principals should have to take to the streets in order to get the point across that buildings of Third World standard are not acceptable in this day and age. The Leader will have sympathy towards their cause, as she suffered because of broken promises from the Government in her constituency before the last general election, as I did. Lies were told by candidates during the election campaign and they are now coming home to roost.