Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I am delighted that two top semi-State executives - Mr. Gabriel D'Arcy of Bord na Móna and Mr. John Mullins of Bord Gáis - have shown leadership by waiving their bonus payments. We need to see this type of leadership at this juncture. We should not have to introduce legislation to require people to forego their bonus payments. We said as a House yesterday that the bonus culture must go. Top executives should be aware that they are well paid through their basic salaries. I would like more of them to follow the example shown. This House should monitor the progress being made. There are times when we are reactive on issues like this and there are times when we should be proactive.

It is important for this House to debate our education system. I am following up on what Senators Quinn and Mac Conghail said previously. The Minister for Education and Skills is making far-reaching decisions quite quickly at the moment. Some of his decisions are good and to be welcomed. This must be a House of ideas and vision. We must lead debate. In that context, I ask the Leader to invite the Minister, Deputy Quinn, to come to the House as soon as possible so that we can debate our vision for the education system at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Is it right that the grinds system is leading the education system in this country, that parents are paying hand over fist to ensure that their children get through the examinations system? Last year I got grinds for my own junior certificate boy. That is wrong. I was paying at least €75 a week to ensure that he got reasonable results. It is fundamentally wrong. We need to look at how we can achieve good outcomes while ensuring a holistic education and how we retain caring, interested and enlightened teachers in this system. There is much to debate and there is no better House to do it in. I look forward to hearing from the Leader that the Minister, Deputy Quinn, is coming in to debate the vision for the education system as soon as possible.