Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an leasú ar Riar na hOibre atá molta ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Seanadóir Cullinane. Beimíd ag éisteacht go cúramach le freagra an Cheannaire air. Má cheapaimid go bhfuil freagra réasúnach ann, ó thaobh plé a dhéanamh ar an gclár Rialtais, b'fhéidir go dtarraingeomíd siar é. Faoi láthair, ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an leasú atá molta.

Ba mhaith liom, freisin, fáiltiú roimh an chúlú atá déanta ag an Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, an Teachta Deenihan, maidir le lucht bainte móna. Sílim go bhfuil sé ciallmhar. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil an cúlú sin déanta. Gabhaim comhgairdeas leis an dream atá ag plé leis an bhfeachtas sin ó thaobh a gcuid cearta bainte móna.

I would like to welcome the reversal by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan, on the turf cutting situation. I congratulate those involved in the turf cutters' campaign because their concerns have been taken on board. Hopefully the issue can now be properly resolved.

There has been much discussion about export-led growth in various press releases. Yesterday, in the audio-visual room, we had a tale of export-led growth from the newly qualified teachers' action group, representing student teachers from the country's four teacher training colleges. They are concerned about the pay and conditions they will be asked to accept when they qualify. They told us their personal stories and many of them who graduated in other disciplines went back to gain primary teaching degrees as mature students. They will, however, be asked to work for less than the minimum wage in some cases if the new regime is put in place. They put a good case and there was cross-party support for them. They were not scare-mongering or over the top with their claims, and the INTO is backing their cause. I thank those who came to the briefing yesterday. I call for the Minister for Education and Skills to attend the House so that we can have a discussion not so much on the broad area of education but on the situation facing newly qualified teachers. We must not be preparing those students currently in teacher training colleges for export.