Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Given everything that has been said so articulately by my colleagues, I will keep my contribution to a minimum. I was an English language teacher in Ireland for four years when I saw the extraordinarily bad practice that is in the sector. It was an area that lacked unionisation and I am delighted to see people are organised and unionised now. I support the provisions and the Minister of State should take on board the sign that people throughout the House are supporting each other. We have put forward a number of proposals to deal with this and we are willing to co-operate. I ask her to join in this spirit of co-operation to ensure the issue is addressed.

Quality must include quality employment. There cannot be any credibility in an international education mark that does not reflect quality of employment and does not deliver quality assurance, which is in the Title of the Bill. Decent working conditions are fundamental and gaps need to be addressed. It must also be borne in mind that representatives of Ireland go abroad on trade missions and speak about Ireland being a wonderful land of saints and scholars and invite people to travel and be educated here. If there is a proposal to speak abroad about this type of quality mark but it does not include quality conditions for staff, it is somewhat meaningless and lacks robustness. This needs to be taken on board. Grafton College is an example but there have been many other cases of staff and students being left high and dry. This is an opportunity to ensure there is meaning behind the standards being provided for in the Bill and a number of constructive proposals have been put forward on how to achieve that. I urge the Minister of State to engage.