Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I support Senator O'Toole's request for the publication of the report into Marino Institute of Education and for a debate on the matter. It is very regrettable to see professional people being bullied out of their positions in any higher level institution or in any other circumstance. The people who have made statements on behalf of the trustees clearly indicated that there was no remorse with regard to what has happened in the college. This is a serious situation in a training college where the students are training in schools where anti-bullying measures are in place.

On another matter, I ask for a debate on the BMW region. A clear inequity has been highlighted with regard to the infrastructure and expenditure in that area as against the rest of the country. A recent report highlights the serious levels of poverty in certain areas of the BMW region. I ask for a debate on the concept of expenditure on infrastructure and the levels of poverty within the region.