Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with my colleague, Senator Conway-Walsh, about the Union of Students in Ireland. Education, and third level education in particular, is vital for both the growth of our economy and its sustainability when it comes to foreign direct investment and so on. That is not in any way to undermine the need for greater emphasis on apprenticeships, which should also concern us.

Last night I was contacted by some spouses of members of the Army Ranger wing who are about to be sent to Mali. I find the detachment going to Mali quite difficult to understand. Why are we sending 14 men to one of the most dangerous countries in the world, and to one of the most dangerous places within that country? I am not sure what 14 people are going to do there. There has been some debate about them going to do some peace enforcement, which people seem to feel is in some way contrary to this mad notion that Ireland is a neutral nation. As we know, we are not. They are going under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which provides for peace enforcement. It was voted through the Dáil back in the 1990s, so we have no difficulty with that. However, these men are going out there having been granted an adjudication under the conciliation and arbitration scheme of €50 to €60 extra pay per week, which has not been paid to date despite being backdated to 2006. The adjudication was heard in 2010, when this economy was on its knees, but the adjudicator still felt it was right and proper to award them an extra €50 to €60 a week.

I have one final point. I am sure Members of the House have received emails from people from the-----