Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I support the call by all Senators, and the proposed amendment to the Order of Business, for the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the House to discuss third level education, its funding and teaching posts in the education sector, which was mentioned by Senator Healy Eames. The Minister appears to be implying that there will be 2,500 fewer teachers in the system over the next few years while, in fact, the EU-IMF programme provides for an additional 2,500 teachers in the next four years. There is a stark contrast with the EU-IMF programme. The word "lie" was used in the Chamber today, and justifiably so.