Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I want to touch on the issue of the substandard conditions prevailing in many of our primary schools, which have been highlighted in the latest batch of inspectors' reports published either today or yesterday. The general secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation was reported as having commented on this last night. He has drawn attention to the reports and how they demonstrated that teachers and children were being asked to work in areas such as converted cloakrooms.

In any event, the inspectors have highlighted glaring deficiencies and we would all agree that this is not the Ireland of today — the so-called "Celtic tiger". It is more reminiscent of the Ireland of 30 or 50 years ago. I would like to hear the Leader's views on this subject which urgently needs to be put right.

Finally——