Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody who works behind the scenes to ensure the Seanad and the rest of Leinster House work. I thank Mr. Groves and all in the Seanad Office, the ushers and all those who work really hard behind the scenes to make sure Leinster House is cleaned and is hygienic. I thank all the catering staff, from those in the coffee dock to those in the self-service restaurant and everywhere in between. I hope they all have a good recess.

As we are now approaching our summer break, we have to think about the right of passage of the many children who will be starting early learning, primary school or secondary school in the next term. There will be students receiving their leaving certificate results and hopefully going on to third level, apprenticeships or the world of work. We must think about our whole education system. I congratulate the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, on all the work she has done with the Minister for Finance on easing back-to-school costs, including those of primary school books and transport, and on the allowance for those who need it and the roll-out of school meals and DEIS.It is really important that we do more. We need to finally grasp the nettle that is voluntary contributions. I honestly believe that capitation fees should be raised for primary and secondary schools, thereby allowing schools to scrap voluntary contributions once and for all. Their abolition is something I have been lobbying for, and I would like to see it implemented. I also want to welcome the publication by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment of the draft specification for senior cycle social, personal and health education, SPHE. It is vitally important that our young people and children have access to the information and supports they need to navigate all aspects of life, including making healthy and safe choices about relationships and their own lives, and respecting one another. There is a three-month consultation period and I would like to encourage everybody who has a view on this to make a submission.

Finally, I am glad that the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Deputy Micheál Martin, has announced a number of important actions to progress the recommendations in the report of the independent review group on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces. I understand that work is under way on terms of reference for the tribunal of inquiry, but we also have the terms of reference published for the external oversight body of the Defence Forces in line with the recommendations of the independent review group. This is really important work. Once again I support and commend the Women of Honour on all the work they have done to ensure we got to this point.