Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Bacik's proposal to table a joint motion on the issues that arose in regard to Islamic State and the activities of terrorists. When one goes abroad to attend Council of Europe meetings one learns that motions passed by Parliaments are very significant. Sometimes we take such things for granted and deem them not so significant, but I know these motions are significant and attract international attention. Therefore, it is important that this House table a motion. I ask Senator Bacik to arrange such collaboration through her office and I can confirm that my colleagues are delighted to be associated with the motion.

I commend Senator MacSharry on his clear and concise speech, which I hope gets widespread media coverage. He spoke an awful lot of truth, particularly about the euro.

I appeal to the ASTI, the TUI and the Minister to come together. It is outrageous that on a day in 2015 as many as 350,000 students are not at school and that 27,000 teachers feel so strongly about the issue that they chosen to give up two days of work. Let us remember that teachers are under pressure to pay their mortgages, yet they have chosen to take industrial action. I am married to a very experienced teacher who took early retirement. When I discussed this matter with her she said that a teacher is a pupil's advocate and that their job is to teach a pupil to the best of their ability but not to be judge and jury in an exam situation. We must also remember that in rural areas teachers live in the same communities in which their students and the students' parents reside. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for them to conduct an assessment that will affect the future of a student. It must be an outside assessment, but 40% is far too much. There are 730 schools closed today, which shows the intransigence of the Government, and now it is not prepared to negotiate. It has been called on to resolve the dispute forthwith.

I wish to welcome two students from Athlone here today. As their teachers are on strike, they decided to travel with their father to see Leinster House in action. It is a good use of their time and I hope they will learn a lot about this House.