Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

Today is world book day, which puts a welcome focus on the arts and literacy, which are linked. As many Senators said, the arts generate a good spirit in our communities and they are a source of cultural tourism and creative industries. They should be supported, as Senator Bradford said, at Government level in the upcoming reshuffle.

I would like an urgent debate on literacy, given 30% of children leave schools in disadvantaged areas without being able to read or write, according to the recent NESF report. Literacy is the passport to personal independence and it is also a matter of strategic national importance. That also puts the focus on the need for a debate on the quality of our education system. I was shocked on Monday when I heard the Minister for Education and Science say on radio that he was shocked when he heard we were only average in mathematics. He said he thought we were always above average. He clearly had not read the OECD's reports. He is an uninformed Minister.