Bacik Pays Tribute to Reforming Minister for Education

BACIK PAYS TRIBUTE TO REFORMING MINISTER FOR EDUCATION

As Labour group leader in the Seanad, Senator Ivana Bacik today paid tribute to the great reforming work and tremendous legacy of Minister Ruairi Quinn, who announced today he would be stepping down as Minister for Education.

Senator Bacik said:

“Minister Quinn has carried out vitally important and far-reaching reforms within the Department of Education during his three years as Minister. He has taken long overdue steps to bring about greater pluralism and diversity in the patronage of primary schools; he has carried out major child-centred reform of the Junior Certificate cycle; he has taken strong action to combat bullying, to improve levels of literacy and numeracy, and to introduce more inclusive enrolment policies, among other issues. He has also initiated and overseen important structural reform, with the introduction of SOLAS and of the Education and Training Boards.”

“As Labour Seanad leader, I would like to pay particular personal tribute to him, as he has been very generous of his time as Minister in Seanad debates and has often introduced pioneering legislation in the Seanad rather than the Dail. Indeed, he introduced the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 as a Seanad bill in the chamber just yesterday evening, and we had a very good debate on its provisions. He leaves a tremendous reforming legacy and will be greatly missed. I very much hope that his reforming work will continue with his successor.”