I have mentioned the issue of industrial relations on previous occasions and do so again in the House this morning because, in the coming weeks, four sectors of our public services will be going on strike. Approximately 2,000 gardaí are embarking on an administrative strike. They will not be processing files or interacting with senior management. It is also understood that they will not be attending court as witnesses in prosecution cases and this will have a savage impact on our criminal justice system.

Tomorrow, 17,000 teachers who are members of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland, ASTI, will go on strike. This will affect two thirds of the secondary schools in our country. It may not be felt so much this Thursday but after the mid-term break it will have a serious impact on parents of younger children, particularly those in first and second year, who will have to engage child minders at great expense. Non-consultant hospital doctors are also threatening to strike and nurses' unions are also considering balloting their members on the issue of bed to staff ratios.

What is the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform doing about all of this? He should come into this House and explain what is being done about industrial action in the public sector. The Lansdowne Road agreement is in place but I heard the former Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, on "Morning Ireland" this morning saying that it should be collapsed, even though it was one of his initiatives. I do not think anyone has a solution at this stage but we must take this more seriously or the country will be at an absolute standstill.

I rise this morning with good news about teachers. I was in Portlaoise last weekend with the TechnoTeachers Association, a voluntary group of woodwork and mechanical drawing teachers. It was wonderful to see the project work produced by 15 year old children under their tutelage and to see those teachers meeting on their own time in order to progress their subjects. We must take our hats off to them. Not everything about teaching is bad.

I also attended a parade at the weekend in Collins Barracks organised by ex-Sergeant Paul Clarke to commemorate the heroes of Jadotville. It is a sad reflection on this country that we did not do those heroes proud. We have not issued them with a medal for the service they have given to this country.

Hear, hear.

They were the first members of the Irish Defence Forces to serve overseas and they deserve our respect.

On the issue of industrial relations, and with respect to my colleague, the Lansdowne Road agreement is the only agreement in town. Right now, it is running off the rails and we must do something about that. Yesterday, Mr. Eoin Ronayne of the Civil Public and Services Union was on the "Today with Seán O'Rourke" programme, calling for the reopening of the Lansdowne Road agreement in order to bring in all of the unions. If this does not happen, we run the risk of the entire agreement collapsing. I agree with my colleague that the Minister needs to come into the House. I urge the Leader to invite him so that we can have a proper debate on this issue. We do not want to see schools closed from 7 November onwards.