Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Had this emergency legislation not been put through, there would be uproar in the House. If the loophole had not been filled, we might have found ourselves in a precarious financial situation. One can imagine the shouts and roars there would have been in that eventuality.

Senator O'Toole spoke about the report on teacher education. Senator Ulick Burke raised the matter earlier in the week and said teachers should not be criticised but I disagree, because honest criticism is good. I take Senator Ulick Burke's views seriously because he knows the teaching profession well. Senator O'Toole made the point that teachers go on probation for a year but do they not also spend a year gaining practical teaching experience?