Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Education and Science to the House to have an urgent debate on the fact that our education system does not suit at least 20% of children at second level. They are not being retained in the system and an ESRI report issued last week stated many are drifting by the age of 15. The failure to retain pupils in the system has serious implications because they do not have the necessary skills to cope when they enter society. Consequently, they are attracted to low-level crime initially——