Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Colleagues have raised the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the O'Keeffe case. It certainly looks like a very good decision but when one thinks about it, it is remarkable that the State would even have tried to defend itself from liability in such a case. It was truly bizarre to suggest that the State, if it is not in complete control of things, could then seek to absolve itself from responsibility for something as fundamental as child safety. Yet, this appears to have been the line of the State, in trying to erect, as it were, an artificial form of immunity for itself based on the constitutional mention of the State providing for education, as distinct from providing education. This decision is welcome.

One can predict it is connected in some way with the recent statements by the Minister, Deputy Quinn, in respect of religion versus maths in schools. One can predict that some people will seek to advance a statist view of education on the back of this decision, along the lines of stating that he or she who pays the piper should call the tune. However, the State must remember it is the servant of parents and families in this regard and when it comes to education, people are entitled to educate according to ethos and values. I for one think the Labour Party's vision of education is far too narrow and runs the risk of a value-free approach to education. Survey after survey from the Department's own consultation have demonstrated that broadly speaking, parents are extremely happy with the quality of education their children are receiving in schools and the ethos under which they are getting that education.

However, my colleague Senator Feargal Quinn has made a typically interesting point regarding the historical reasons for the length of our school year.

It would be welcome if the Leader could invite the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to the House to tell us about the progress of the IDA's Horizon 2020 strategy-----