Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)

I was very disappointed to learn that the talks aimed at finding a resolution to the dispute over pensions for school secretaries and caretakers have broken down. As we all know in this House, school secretaries and caretakers are a vital component of our school system without whom it simply would not function. It is disappointing that school secretaries and caretakers had to go on strike initially. We all met them on the picket line. It is disappointing that it appears that those talks appear to have now come to the end of the road for now. I appeal to the Minister for education to re-engage with our school secretaries and caretakers because the last thing they want to do is to be back on the picket line come January, and the last thing we want is for them to have to do that. All disputes come to an end eventually. We seem to have been talking about school secretaries and caretakers for an awfully long time. They have genuine and legitimate aims and aspirations that every effort should be made to meet. I ask that the Minister re-engage with the school secretaries and caretakers to try to find a resolution to this problem.