"Between my finger and my thumb, the squat pen rests snug as a gun."

These words are familiar to all in this Chamber. The poet who wrote these lines, which are from the poem, "Digging", has passed away. I ask that the Leader offer our collective condolences and sympathy to the family of our Saoi, Nobel laureate and most important poet since W. B. Yeats, Seamus Heaney. The day Seamus Heaney died, 30 August, was a sad one. He is a loss to his family, the world of poetry and the world of Irish society and Irish citizens. From the front cover of The New York Times to the hourly news bulletins on our national broadcaster it was apparent to all of us that Seamus Heaney was both a global and local poet. He was beyond the parish, yet he was part of it, too. He was political and understood how poetry and theatre could offer clarity and illumination. He never shirked his responsibility as a citizen poet. He was a generous, inspiring, loving man and poet. I call on the Leader to set aside a modest amount of time to allow Senators to reflect on the death of this great poet and respond to his legacy.

In his play, "The Cure at Troy", he wrote these evocative lines:

History says, Don't hopeOn this side of the grave,But then, once in a lifetimeThe longed-for tidal waveOf justice can rise upAnd hope and history rhyme.

Speaking of history, the Taoiseach's nominees have tabled a motion on the junior cycle for discussion during Private Members' time this evening. The motion seeks clarity from the Minister on what he means by history not being a core subject. It should not be dumbed down. I look forward to a robust debate on the syllabus and curriculum.