David Norris (Independent)

I join my colleagues in expressing real concern and horror at last night's programme. A Member of this House, Senator O'Toole, played a dignified role in that programme and told it as it is. We must listen to him as a former General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation.

I raised this matter yesterday. It seems extraordinary that the Government picks up the bills. So many of these matters are in the domain of the church. It is time we had proper national education which is not only funded but also controlled by the State. In saying that I am not inimical to the teaching of religion, but if one pays the bills, one must accept the responsibility. It is extraordinarily cowardly of the Government to try to shift this to management committees which often are made up of parents who voluntarily give their time. It is an outrage to go after them and send these kinds of terrifying letters.

I noted in the programme that one splendid woman courageously spoke out and stated that the Government is now abusing the abused all over again. It was also valuable to hear Colm O'Gorman, who is not only the inspiration behind One in Four from which he has withdrawn for the period of the general election but who is also chairman of a school board, warn that if this trend of terrifying people by sending threatening and bullying legal letters is to continue, it may be difficult to get boards of management together next year. Why should anybody put their head on the block in that way?

We have a good Minister for Education and Science in Deputy Mary Hanafin. She is forward looking. She understands the situation. She has a background in teaching. I doubt very much if she is behind this. I am not making any criticism of her specifically, but I would like to see her in the Minister's chair in this House responding to these concerns and questions and giving Members an undertaking, which they should demand, that such persecution of people who have already been abused will stop.

The other matter I want to raise is the question of the Government of Palestine and I want to ask for a debate on the Middle East. There is a legitimate Government of Palestine. Hamas was elected. This was not accepted by the West, especially by the United States of America, and there is an extraordinary situation where there is now a government of national unity. The State Department of the United States at least is making some small degree of movement, but it is only speaking to the Fatah section, and this looks almost like an attempt to split them.

We in this country have refused once again to take a moral lead. It seems we are tied in to the European Union's policy, which is a disgraceful and morally bankrupt one. They are speaking, for example, about the prospect of a legitimate government, which means we are agreeing that the duly elected Government of the Palestinian people, in their misery, oppression, degradation and discrimination, is not the legitimate government. It most certainly is. The hopeful sign is that the Palestinian Government, including the Hamas elements, have given a de facto recognition to the state of Israel. They have spoken about the 1967 borders and about support for the initiative of the Quartet, etc. Had we taken this hardline attitude in the North of Ireland, we would not be in the positive position in which we are today. Shamefully, there is still nothing about the lifting of sanctions against Palestinian people which, as we will be aware, are hurting them.