Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I concur with the comments of Senators Crown and Walsh about religious freedom and also with the comments of Senator Barrett about the teaching of languages and the RIA report. It is important that we focus on providing opportunities for students to learn foreign languages starting at primary school. We see the problems of an overcrowded curriculum. We now have disparate voices, with some people saying there needs to be more emphasis on maths and science - they make a good case - while others emphasise the need to learn languages to maintain our competitiveness. It is an important point that if one is trying to sell, one must be able to sell in the buyer's language. The flair for languages is something that must be developed from primary school age. There are great opportunities to introduce young children to the importance, value and indeed delight of learning languages through simple conversations as people from other countries speak them. This can be of great fascination to children and it helps them develop a flair and taste for languages. I hope, notwithstanding budgetary constraints, that efforts will be made to use existing resources and to provide whatever possible additional resources are necessary to increase the number of primary schools in which children are introduced to foreign languages.

Although we will have statements later today on communications, energy and natural resources, I call for a debate - as has been called for in this House in the past - specifically on media standards. Such a debate must be a stand-alone discussion rather than merely being part of a broad discussion on communications. I am extremely concerned at media coverage of the presidential election. It is appropriate that I raise this matter in the House at this time. There is a great tradition in this country of kicking people when they are down. In recent days we have seen newspapers which started off promoting the cause of a particular candidate now joining others in ganging up, herd-like, on the same candidate. I do not intend to vote for Martin McGuinness, for example, but the manner in which at least one weekend newspaper treated his candidature is disproportionate. I would prefer to see the media stand back and to allow the candidates to interrogate and put the hard questions to each other.