Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland on the work it has been doing for a number of years on the issue of undocumented migrants living in Ireland. Today it published a poll, conducted on its behalf by Red C Research, which shows that 69% of Irish people wish to see the position of undocumented migrants residing in Ireland regularised. At the justice committee meeting today we are due to discuss the report of the Migrant Rights Centre. Indeed, we have discussed its proposals already, but we will discuss this later today. However, I ask the Leader to schedule a debate in the autumn on the regularisation of undocumented migrants. It has a particular resonance in Ireland given that many of us have been working for many years to secure a regularisation of the position of undocumented Irish citizens living in the US.

I also seek a debate in the autumn on education. It is hugely welcome that the junior cycle reforms were signed off yesterday, as was noted and welcomed by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan. They are very welcome for parents as well. However, there is another pressing issue in terms of enrolment policy and, in particular, the religious nature of most of the patronage of our primary schooling. I met this morning with parents from Terenure Educate Together, which is a new group that has been established in the Dublin 6 area to seek a new multi-denominational school for Dublin 6. It already has enormous support in the local area and it will be pressing ahead with the campaign for recognition of its school. Indeed, I was chair of a local group in Dublin 8 which achieved the recognition of a new school, Canal Way Educate Together. There is a pressing need for this, as is shown by all of these start-up groups throughout the country co-ordinated by Educate Together. Many parents are seeking a new form of education for their children, a multi-denominational education in a school that is not under religious patronage. I hope the Leader will arrange for a debate on school patronage and admissions and enrolment policy in the autumn.

On the issue of health, I commend all those involved in the making of the programme on cochlear implants that was screened on RTE One last night. It was a strong endorsement of a programme in our health service that is entirely publicly funded and is a real success story for the many individuals, adults and children, who have had their hearing restored as a result of this surgery.