Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will raise three matters. Today, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, announced a series of welcome reforms to the leaving certificate. I ask for a debate on those reforms in the very near future, which I am sure can be facilitated. I particularly welcome the introduction of two new subjects, one in the area of drama, film and theatre studies, and the second in the area of climate action and sustainable development. The latter subject is the critical global issue of our time and many students will be interested in it. The greater emphasis that will be placed on the arts in our school system is also welcome. The introduction of a new subject in the form of drama, film and theatre is very welcome.

Any passenger who has travelled through Dublin Airport recently, and I know several, will have complained of the long delays at security. These are not just long but completely unacceptable delays. When people ask if they turn up two hours in advance of their flights, and short-haul flights at that, whether they will be guaranteed to get through security and catch those flights, and Dublin Airport authorities cannot guarantee it, that is not acceptable. In a progressive country such as ours, to send out a message that Dublin Airport is incapable of ensuring there is a sufficient number of security staff to be able to process the large number of passengers that can be expected is just not acceptable. We know we are coming towards the Easter holidays when we will see an increase in the numbers and will be moving into the much busier summer season. I ask the Acting Leader to raise this with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, as a matter of urgency, and that he receives guarantees from the authorities at Dublin Airport that they can ensure passengers who are there do not have to wait an unreasonable length of time to go through security.

I will raise the matter of the census. I encourage everyone to fill it in this coming weekend. I ask that we consider, for the next census in 2026 and beyond, moving it onto blockchain, and that we look at having a dynamic blockchain-enabled census and new ways for the State to gather and utilise data.

In addition, I wish all the census enumerators the very best of luck as they knock on doors and try to gather census forms. I am aware of a small minority of muppets who are trying to cite some nonsense that the census does not apply to them. One of the things we need to remember in this State is that we have many rights as citizens, but we also have responsibilities. It is an individual's responsibility to fill in his or her census form. I ask that we stand in solidarity with those small number of census enumerators who have received abuse on the doorsteps and that the full rigours of the law will be faced by those who refuse to fill in their census forms.