Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I spoke with a senior person in education. I come from the same background and will touch on it, as I do not want the Minister of State to believe I am keeping away from anything. A new contract for teachers is to be negotiated, but there has been no meeting yet. There was an agreement three or four months ago - the Minister of State should correct me if I am wrong - and a commitment of an extra hour's work for teachers was given. There has been no movement in this regard. The promoted structure within teaching should reflect a new contract involving a workable, transformative and efficient middle management scheme that brings more to education.

I will conclude on local government. I spoke with some students this morning. Cheques for student grants are sent out from 40 places around our small country. Students do not know what cheques are because they have never seen them. That is our age. Cheques issue three times per year to a college, a student proves to that college he is Joe O'Toole, for example, another cheque is written and he takes it away and lodges it. All of this should be done centrally. We do not need 40 different places handling it or, for example, motor taxation.

I could go on and on. Many important actions need to be taken, but I want specificity, timelines, key performance indicators, KPIs, review dates and measurements, since those are real benchmarks.