I expect better from leaders in politics. Our children are showing leadership. Our school communities are showing leadership. Shame on those who do not show leadership on an issue of this nature. For shame.

I know we took the opportunity to do so yesterday at the education committee, but I again offer what I know is the unified solidarity, support and sympathy of the entire House. We are particularly mindful of the children and their carer who were involved in an incident in proximity to a school on Parnell Square. I can confirm for the House that our NEPS psychologists - our school psychologists - have been in the school since the incident occurred. They continue to be there, engaging with senior management and the o…

At post-primary level it is the higher education institute that determines the number of places in accordance with its own available resources and arrangements. A total of 1,650 teachers graduate from these programmes each year. As regards the overall enrolments on the initial teacher education programmes, 2022-23 is the most recent year for which confirmed data is available. There were 4,700 students enrolled in primary programmes and 6,000 students enrolled in post-primary programmes across the State. I understan…

I thank Deputy Clarke and I appreciate her personal engagement on this issue. More than 10,700 places have been provided by State-funded providers. There are 1,800 places with a private enterprise. With regard to the point made about fees and the difficulties with them, I was very pleased in budget 2024 to announce that, for those taking a postgraduate course in teaching, a bursary of €2,000 will be made available to them. I appreciate what Deputy Clarke has said with regard to students needing to see it so they ca…

I thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin. I acknowledge his personal engagement with me, and the engagement from throughout the House, on the incident on Parnell Square. Ensuring every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them is a priority. Budget 2024 contains a range of measures that demonstrate commitment to continued investment in the education system. A professional masters of education incentive scheme, which I referenced earlier, is being introduced a…

I thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin. I want to be very clear that I do not underestimate the extraordinary challenges in particular areas - and it is in particular areas - for school leadership to fill posts. There is no doubt about this. We are a country at near full employment. The issues we face in education are reflected in so many other areas, whether it be hospitality, health or wherever. It is important to look back at all of the various initiatives that have been taken. We are not standing still. We are being proacti…

I thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin. I reiterate that we are being proactive and very open to working with partners in education for other initiatives. We are open to looking at everything. For example, I record our gratitude to the more than 3,400 trainee teachers who have registered with the Teaching Council and made themselves available for substitute cover in schools. This is a relatively new initiative. There is a significant input and uplift of staff in our schools. We have also introduced other measures. The issue of …

Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools, involving the completion of more than 690 school building projects, and with construction under way at approximately 300 other projects. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of in excess of €1.2 billion. We also have 200 modular accommodation projects very well advanced for delivery or at the construction stage. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights …

I acknowledge the Deputy's personal engagement on this topic. I acknowledge the public representatives in the area, who have been really active in this space. As the Deputy is aware, following the technical assessment, it is evident there are complexities with the existing school properties. There is a particular challenge to identifying a solution to the school's accommodation needs that will support the effective operation of the school and present a sustainable solution in the long term. The main focus of the De…

The Deputy is right. We operate school planning areas. There are 314 of them in the country, and we also have a GIS system that has particular information from the CSO. This is for future planning. We also engage with the local authority, and the Deputy is right that it will be cognisant of where there are existing or, more importantly, where there will be future housing developments. There is strong engagement there. The indications from the studies of the Carrick-on-Shannon school planning area are that enrolment…

I just know the request has been lodged with the patron, but I imagine it will be happening fairly speedily.

As the Deputy is aware, the use of mobile devices and smartphones has increasingly become a part of the daily lives of our children and young people. While this can be a positive experience, we must also consider the potential harm associated with the misuse and-or overuse of these devices and associated social media platforms, particularly for younger children. While smartphone usage is, by and large, well managed during the primary school day, there are concerns about usage outside of school and the prevalence of…

I thank the Deputy. I want to be very clear at the outset. What happened in Parnell Square, in close proximity to a school, was an unprecedented event. There are 4,000 schools, 1 million pupils and 100,000 school staff in Ireland. They are excellent environments in which children are mentored, minded, guarded and protected. I want to salute and acknowledge the excellent work that happens every single day in our schools. As a consequence of this particular incident, which happened in close proximity to a school, as …

No, and I appreciate that.

I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge the excellent engagement from everyone here, including Deputy Gannon, and how supportive and helpful they have been to the local community, including the school community. I recognise in particular Deputy Gannon's personal engagement with me. On the wider issues the Deputy has raised, the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and the Garda Commissioner have already highlighted a variety of initiatives that have been taken throughout the capital, including an increase in Garda prese…

The Department recognises the importance of the minor works grant to primary schools. This funding provides good flexibility at local level to assist schools to manage and undertake works that support the daily operation of the school. Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the minor works grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary schools, including special schools. In recent years, however, the Department’s approach has been to pay the minor works grant to…

I fully understand the importance of the minor works grant. Considerable enhanced payments were made during Covid because we recognised the significance of the minor works grant. Minor works grants for 2023-24 were paid in April in advance of the school year to ensure schools would have the lead-in time the Deputy speaks of and in order that works could be done at a quiet time, perhaps over the summer or whatever the case might be. In any event, the payments were given in April of this year. The funding for 2024-25…

I do not underestimate the challenges schools face every day but I recognise also that ours is the third highest spending Department in government, which is indicative of the huge priority placed on education by the Government, at more than €10 billion. I acknowledge that last year, additional funding of €90 million was made available to schools from an energy point of view, while €81 million is being made available this year, of which €21 million will go into the core from a capitation point of view in budget 2024…

I thank the Deputy and acknowledge his engagement with me on this issue. I can confirm my Department recently received a request from the patron of the schools in question for the amalgamation of the two schools. The proposal also included a request for a new school building for the amalgamated school. As the Deputy will be aware, the decision-making authority for school amalgamations belongs to the patron or trustees of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education. Any proposed chang…

As I said, the request has been received and is being assessed. The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and the replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations are clarified. The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will engage with other Departments on national development plan, NDP, allocations for the period 2026 to 2028 over the coming months, with allocation decisions expected during the first half of 2024. I assure…