David Norris (Independent)

I raised in the House previously the case of Ms Louise O'Keeffe, who appears to feel threatened that her house might be taken from her because she cannot meet the costs arising from a legal action she took. There appears to be an instinct on the part of the authorities to punish and frighten people to discourage them from taking legal actions. It is quite wrong. By trying to deny its responsibilities, the State is acting in a cowardly manner. If it does not own the schools or have responsibility for them, why is it simultaneously paying for them? It is about time the State took over the schools, particularly in the context of the evidence of the Ferns Report, which I have mentioned many times. When the former Minister, Mr. Mervyn Taylor, was introducing the equality legislation, Senator O'Toole and I fought tooth and nail in this House to prevent the legislation from providing for certain exemptions. Senator O'Toole yesterday organised a meeting with representatives of the INTO to discuss this matter, which is of real concern for teachers.

This problem can be linked to what Senator Ryan said about bullying. We know a disproportionate amount of bullying contains a homophobic element. Very few teachers address this problem because they are frightened to do so. They know legally they could be fired on the basis of their lifestyles. A recent report, which found that this country's sex education is completely inadequate, stated that no such education is offered in approximately 40% of schools. The response of students to these matters is much more intelligent than the hysterical response of some of the authorities and groups which try to apply pressure in this regard. Can the House have a discussion on this aspect of the educational system? If we do not own the schools, why are we paying for them? Why does the State not take over responsibility for the schools?

I am not inimical to religion, in fact, I am a regular churchgoer. However, I do not think it is right that schools should be denominational in this way. I am happy for religious instruction to be offered in schools. I go to church not as a result of anything I was ever taught in school, but because of the way I was brought up. In our family, it was a positive pleasure to go to church. If I did something naughty, my mother would tell me that if I did it again I would not be allowed to go to church that afternoon. That is the way to do it.