I agree with Senator van Turnhout that following the Supreme Court decision on Government spending on referenda, the issue needs to be examined. We should have no further referenda until it is sorted, however long it takes.

As regards cuts in education, while I have great respect for Senator Darragh O’Brien, I remember the Government being re-elected in 2007 partly because of a promise of 2,000 extra teaching jobs. The returning Government was not in a wet day when the pupil-teacher ratio increased. The current Minister for Education and Skills has performed the greatest miracle since water was turned into wine in that he has not increased the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools.

A miracle.

He deserves the utmost credit.

Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?

Yes. I welcome the 22 new schools, including an all-Irish school in Dundalk, the Cú Chulainn community college. The legendary Cú Chulainn will have a school named after him in Dundalk.

It could have been named after the Senator.

I ask that the Minister for Education and Skills attend the House to outline his views on the gap analysis of third level institutions’ submissions on third level reform.