Liam Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail)

The decision of the Minister for Education and Science to take part in your education system, YES style debates at the teachers' conferences this easter is a reasonable and genuine attempt to fully engage with 1,700 teacher representatives on the future of our education system. His suggestion that the other principal partners in education should be present is good because it will enhance the quality of debate and the outcomes. The days of set piece ministerial speeches with the usual cheers and boos from the floor are gone. They have done nothing to promote educational debate and are a waste of time for both sides.