Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is great news that we are moving up the rankings as a good country in which to do business. I wish to raise two matters with the Leader. It is very important that an independent person is appointed to sort out the mess between the Department of Education and Skills, the Minister and the ASTI. The sides are very strident. The last thing we want is for children to lose out. Children in second level schools deserve an education. The ongoing difficulties are affecting morale in schools. It is not right that schools are being threatened that they will lose teacher posts if the ASTI does not agree to this deal and vote in favour of it. Equally, there are issues to be sorted out by the ASTI. Whatever happens, this cannot be allowed to continue because it is not in the interests of education or our country. I ask the Government to appoint an independent person to resolve this situation and move it on.

I am deeply concerned by the resignation of the Commissioner for the Irish Language. Why did he have to offer his head on a plate for this matter to be taken seriously? If it is not addressed, it could be an act of cultural vandalism. When we are in trouble of financially, we believe that everything can be thrown out to save the economy, yet the Irish language adds to our economy. It gives us our unique identity. We must all be reasonable, but there should be a minimum of one designated person per Department who can communicate with people from the Gaeltacht who want to do their business through Irish. This is not too much to ask.