Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator Mooney referred to the death of one of the Birmingham Six, Richard McIlkenny. He also raised the INTO campaign whereby children were sent home with a letter to their parents. I have vivid memories of a particular circular which every child in the land received to take home. I do not remember complaining about it. Given that I was the Minister involved, when my second child came home with the letter, I was not going to kick up about it. In a way, the child is just bringing the letter from teacher to Mammy or Daddy. It is a good way of getting the propaganda out. It is a good case and I would not get too worked up about it. Class sizes are important but sending a child with a letter to his or her parents is an age-old means of communication. The Senator called for a debate on class sizes.

Senator Tuffy asked for legislation to be introduced as quickly as possible to close the legal loophole arising from the court decision. She made the point that we risk putting children in danger and, therefore, letting them down.

Senator Jim Walsh supported Senator ÓMurchú with regard to the Finucane case. Perhaps there is a case to be made for a motion to be signed by all Senators on the matter. The Senator also agreed with Senator Ryan on his interpretation of the Dingle issue and suggested that if the people of Dingle want to keep the English name of the town, it should not be a Gaeltacht area.

Senator Feighan referred to the local authorities. The Senator must often have made a case for rent subsidy for a needy person given that he deals with such cases all the time. However, the local housing officer in a local authority, be it a town or county council, must now sign that form before it goes to the health board office, which pays the subsidy. The housing officer must attest to the fact that the man, woman or couple are on a housing list and living at the stated address. There is involvement by the local authority.