Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

It is Christmas and I think the baby Jesus will speak Irish, judging by the amount of Irish being spoken these days. Senator Ryan made the point that textbooks in the meanscoileanna or Irish second level schools are not available and students have to read the English textbooks with an Irish dictionary, which is daft in such a context. That is a fair point.

Senator Ryan also raised an interesting issue which requires debating. He spoke of "fourth level", which it is, because one enters that level after one's degree. I do not call it "post-degree". It is just a consolidation of one's degree, taking another two years. One will not get the job if one has not done those two years. It is a sort of mean-spirited, back door method. At present one does not get funding to study for a higher diploma in education and one cannot teach without it in many secondary schools. That is something we should consider. We will probably have a debate on third level funding and where we are going in that area.

Senator Callanan raised an interesting topic, calling for a debate on alternative land use. He made his point well. Senator Finucane was in agreement with Senator O'Toole on the issue of low wages being offered by some employers. There are still many people in domestic situations being offered and paid very low wages. I have always felt that a labourer is worthy of his or her hire and should get decent wages.

Senator Mooney noted the interrace hatred so evident in Iran and suggested we should overwhelm the Iranian President's office with Holocaust literature. Senator Norris said the Iranian President lives on another planet and also supported the suggestion of Senator Brian Hayes that former taoisigh be invited to attend the Seanad. He also urged the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to attend the House and discuss his embryonic proposals regarding the age of consent. I think we all followed the case in question.

Senator Maurice Hayes noted the glossiness of certain reports by statutory bodies, particularly when dealing with poverty, and of other glossy reports. When I read or take a cursory look at such reports and possibly dump them a month later, I think of how much money was spent on them. They contain some very good material but there is surely no need for such a manifestation of money in these poverty reports and other well-printed and assembled reports. Senator Coghlan agreed with the views expressed on these reports, and also mentioned Dinis cottage. Poor Dina has not had her cottage fixed up yet. I thought the Board of Works had made arrangements.