Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is unacceptable that a democratically elected forum such as that should be snubbed in this way.

Tacaím go huile is go hiomlán leis an leasú atá molta ar Riar na hOibre inniu maidir le scoil Inis Meáin. Is trua é nach féidir leis an Seanadóir Healy Eames déileáil lena rún sa tSeanad an tseachtain seo. Tá sé fíor-phráinneach mar beidh an cheist seo ag teacht chun foirfeachta roimh deireadh na míosa seo muna mbeidh cinneadh tógtha go mbeidh an dara múinteoir le fáil ar Inis Meáin. Tá daoine ansin atá sásta cásanna cúirte a ghlacadh. The situation in Inis Meáin did not happen yesterday or today. The reason there is such an urgency to this is that if a decision is not made before the end of July, the Government and the Department of Education and Skills could find themselves in a litigious situation where they are taken to court over people's rights. Serious rights are being impinged upon here, not least the employment rights of the principal in the school. It is totally unacceptable that a principal on an island could teach eight children and not be afforded a lunch break or a toilet break. It is unacceptable in this day and age. Solutions can be found. The amounts of money involved are not insurmountable. The rigidity of the guidelines from the Department of Education and Skills is ludicrous in this situation. They do not take into consideration the fact that this is an island out in the middle of the Atlantic. I wholeheartedly support the amendment to the Order of Business. Even if the senior Minister is not available, any Minister who is in the Houses should be here.