Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Fitzgerald, Alex White, Keaveney, Hannigan and Walsh commented on the issue of early school leavers. The Minister for Education and Science will attend the House next Thursday and, therefore, Senators can prepare contributions for that debate.

Senators Coghlan and Fitzgerald inquired about the electoral register for the local government elections and the redrawing of boundaries. This is under way and it will conclude in April or May 2008 in good time for the elections in 2009. I have a great deal of experience in this area and the only way to put together a register properly is to use the postman. Doctors, priests and gardaí used to know everything about everyone in their respective communities but the postman is the only one who knows when new people move into an area and their addresses. During the previous Dáil, I requested that the postman would be given the opportunity on a once-off basis to correct the register. That did not happen but the House should consider that suggestion. I know from experience in my own area where I sit down with most of the local postmen to do the register.