Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The House should have an early debate on the teaching profession and the value society places on teachers. There is no doubt a successful society needs a successful system. We rely on teachers, in collaboration with parents and students, to deliver such a system.

This morning, I listened to Professor Pasi Sahlberg speak on "The John Murray Show". Professor Sahlberg will visit Galway next week as a guest of a conference I am hosting in the National University of Ireland, Galway. He spoke about the value of the teaching profession in Finland and noted that it was held in such high regard that it is the most sought after career among young Finns. In this country, we constantly rub teachers up the wrong way and treat them poorly.