Feargal Quinn (Independent)

If Second Stage must conclude by that time, it does not accord with what the Leader promised us last week.

The future outlook for the economy depends to a large extent on education. I will give Senators homework to do during the summer because I doubt the House will have a debate on education before the summer ends. I have spoken to a number of people from other parts of the world who are astonished that Ireland's second level schools take holidays for three months every summer. They do not consider this realistic. The Japanese, for example, inform me their schools take holidays for 16 days per annum. While I do not suggest Ireland reduce the number of days to 16, we cannot continue to take three months off in the summer. There must be a logical middle figure. I am sure teachers and pupils would not be pleased if the current arrangements were changed but parents would be delighted if the summer holidays were reduced. I gather the reason for taking three months off in the summer dates back to a time generations ago when teenage children were needed to work on farms. This no longer applies. Let us ensure we give thought to this issue during the summer and debate it following the recess. Such a debate must focus on how we can get the best from the education system for teenage children at second level.