Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House. I have no doubt that her style, acumen and manner of dealing with people will stand her in good stead. Speaking from five years' experience in that Department, I know it requires partnership with people. It is apparent in every line of the Minister's script that that is the way she is setting out her agenda for her tenure in the Department of Education and Science. Listening, reflecting and responding are vital to the job. There will be 40 files on the Minister's desk every morning, each of them with a problem that must be worked through. There is no problem that cannot be solved by listening and talking to people. Discussion is the panacea to all difficulties. The Minister's speech is redolent of the way in which she intends to carry out her business. That is good for education because it is not a snap, crackle and pop system. The Minister must listen, talk and reflect.

Even when I was Minister in 1991, this college was on the agenda.