Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I believe the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Foley, should come to the House next week. Notwithstanding the difficult job the Leader has, there is merit in the comments of Senator Higgins this morning regarding all Stages of Bills. It is important for us to have our own autonomy here. In advance of the schools and our educational establishments reopening in September, we should have a debate in the House next week on education and the reopening of our schools. Let me put it in context. A principal in Dunmanway, Mr. Niall Murphy, put out a tweet yesterday in which he said that 2 m equals eight students in a 7 m by 7 m classroom. Therefore, 1 m equals 16 students in a 7 m by 7 m classroom.

It is important we have clarity earlier rather than later regarding our return to third level, post-primary and primary schools. We are heading into the last week of July and one thing our schools do very well is organise. It is important that the Government and the Minister, Deputy Foley, come into this House next week to give us all clarity.I speak as a former teacher who has been engaged with some of my former colleagues on the return of schools and third level institutions. We now have blended and online education but, as we all know, children need to be in the classroom in the school setting for their sociological, educational and physiological development. I appeal to the Leader to have a debate next week, not an adversarial one but one in which clarity and certainty can be given to all who are involved in our schools.