Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Rónán Mullen.

I join colleagues in congratulating those who were successful in obtaining promotion to ministerial office and commiserating with those who are no longer either Ministers or Ministers of State. I particularly wish to congratulate the new Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, who hails from the Monaghan end of the Cavan-Monaghan constituency. This promotion is a great honour for the Minister who has only been a Member of the Dáil for three years, her family and the people who live in the constituency. I am disappointed that my colleague in Cavan, Deputy Joe O'Reilly, was not promoted on this occasion. However, I have no doubt that he will be promoted in the near future. Perhaps I might give some advice to the new Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to the effect that she should seek the wise council of Deputy Joe O'Reilly who is a fluent Irish speaker, holds a first class honours degree in Irish history and has been involved in the arts, particularly in the arena of drama, since his teenage years. He has been involved in many successful dramatic productions throughout the country for many decades.

Will the Leader invite the new Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, to come before the House in order that we might discuss the transition from VECs to education and training boards and ascertain what plans her Department has to ensure the five boards which do not have training centres within their remit will be allocated both a budget and staff resources to provide training?