Joe O'Toole (Independent)

As we send our good wishes to those who are sitting the leaving certificate, it is interesting to take the matter a little further by considering how many of the 60,000 students in question are likely to aspire to having a career in political life, involving public representation. One of the great problems we face when considering the future of this or any other society is the lack of interest in public representation. It is an issue which this House and the Minister for Education and Science should examine.

The Cathaoirleach will recall that I raised a query last week in regard to item 5 on the Order Paper which deals with the Order under the Employment Equality Act. I wish today to make the point that the House needs to address this issue which relates to legislation that allows Church bodies to discriminate, albeit in a way with which very few people would disagree. In this case, the Church of Ireland College of Education seeks to ensure a quota of people from its own cultural background are available to them in their college over a period of years. I do not believe any right-thinking person would object to this.

This legislation, however, can be abused and misused against perhaps people who are gay or have other interests. It also raises the issue of how an Islamic or other person of non-Christian faith can become a teacher in Ireland. These are serious issues. I have a difficulty not with the intent of the Order but with what its tells us in terms of our view of ourselves as a society. Senator Norris and I have raised the issue under various headings, including under the equal status Bill, during the past 15 to 20 years. There exists in this regard a problem for society and we should be prepared to grasp it, deal with the issues and protect people and our cultural values.

One of the great aspects of the Lisbon treaty is that it gives a pride of place to national cultural values in order to develop it and move it forward. We must take a more multifaceted approach to cultural issues. I ask not that we debate the issue today but that we debate it in the context of the employment equality legislation, equal status legislation and related matters at an appropriate time.