Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise to ask that the Minister for Education come to the House as a matter of urgency. I know we have the Minister for Health coming in this afternoon, but there is a need to have a debate on our response to contact tracing in an educational setting and substitution in schools.

I heard Colm Henry's remark on "Morning Ireland" earlier to the effect that transmission in schools is low. The reality is that the Government reduced, curtailed and stopped contact tracing in educational settings. It should not have done so.I call on the Government to return to contact tracing in schools. In tandem with that, there is an issue around substitution in schools. This is not a made-up issue; it is a real, living problem every day for teachers and principals in our education settings, primary and post-primary. I ask that the Minister, Deputy Foley, would come to the House as a matter of urgency. I accept the remarks of Dr. Colm Henry this morning that it may well not be the case that pupils are contracting or transmitting Covid-19 in schools but it is a fact of life that Government stopped contact tracing and it should not have done so.

I also seek a debate on the issue of Taiwan. It is high time that this House took a firm stance with regard to our relationship with Taiwan. I am utterly appalled and dismayed at the remarks last week of former Deputy, Mick Wallace, MEP, with regard to Taiwan. It is complete fake news. Taiwan is a vibrant democracy which upholds human rights at all times. As I have done previously, I call for a debate in this House on Taiwan and our relationship with Taiwan.