Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will truncate my comments on the amendments and would appreciate if the Minister of State could be as brief as possible also because I want to make progress. I deeply regret and deplore the fact that a Bill on the electoral system is being guillotined. That matter is not something within my reach, but I do want to try to progress through as many of the policy points as possible.

Amendments Nos. 30 to 31 relate to information programmes and educational programmes, which were highlighted. Amendment No. 30 relates to the idea of the commission providing materials for primary, secondary and third level students for the purposes of the promotion and understanding of the State's electoral systems.

Another issue I have raised with the Minister for Education is the concern that civil, social and political education, CSPE, moved from being a mandatory subject at junior certificate level, whereby every child in the State would have a basic foundation in it, to being a voluntary subject. Again, that has made a difference. I have spoken to students who told me that it went from being something that got attention and resources within schools to something that did not. While the commission does not have a role in regard to that decision, it has a role in the provision of materials.

Amendment No. 31 states that due regard would be given to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act and that this would be considered in the development of education and information programmes.

Amendment No. 32 seeks to push the principle of participation as being one of the key drivers that would guide education and information, which relates to the active need to promote participation in the State systems.