Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I agree with the first point raised by Senator Brian Hayes except that I do not believe it was a spinning machine but rather bad media coverage. It was not just a young man who was supposed to be known to the Garda but there was also supposed to be a drunk Garda off duty. The reporting of the incident was wrong in all sorts of ways. In the first report I got the clear impression that a young man who had a criminal background was chased by a Garda who was drunk. It was quite appalling in terms of what we know now.

Tá Seachtain na Gaeilge le bheith ann an tseachtain seo chugainn, agus ba mhaith an rud go mbeadh díospóireacht againn ar aon pholasaithe i leith na Gaoluinne ar mhaith leis an Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta a chur os ár gcomhair. Tá rudaí curtha i gcló aige le cúpla mí anuas nach bhfuil aon díospóireacht déanta orthu. For instance, there are ten progressive steps, rudaí ar chóir a dhéanamh don nGaoluinn, agus ba mhaith an rud go mbeadh díospóireacht ar na moltaí sin anseo. It would be appropriate to do so now in recognition of Seachtain na Gaeilge.

In recent weeks I have called for a debate on a number of issues in relation to education, including the lack of funds in that area. We had a useful debate last week on a report which concerned many people. The Leader will recall difficult times in education in the late 1980s when it was necessary to have certain cutbacks, particularly in the area of general purpose rooms and PE halls. People understood there was a difficulty at the time and they put up with it. In the intervening period this matter became a priority and it was being dealt with, as we thought, until we saw this report yesterday. We now find there is an appalling lack of PE facilities in primary schools throughout the country. Some 80% of schools in Donegal do not have a PE hall or access to indoor PE facilities of any description, while 63% of schools in Clare and 70% of schools in Kerry lack such facilities. It is appalling that we cannot develop the curriculum at a time when we are worried about obesity in children and children being too sedentary. At a time when there is not enough activity or enough safe areas for activity, the need for PE facilities, PE halls and general purpose rooms in schools was never so important. I ask that the Minister for Education and Children outline to us her plans on this matter. There appears to be a reversal in the programme for Government on this issue.