While this review has been up and running we have, in the interim, introduced some measures. The Deputy specifically referenced the issue of the next-nearest school at post-primary level. That temporary alleviation measure was introduced for the 2021-22 school year and continued for 2022-23. There is a criterion for eligibility, namely, that students have to live within 3.2 km of their primary school and be attending the nearest school. At post-primary level, the distance is 4.8 km and students must be attending th…

On the specific points raised regarding increased capacity, I will be very clear that there has been a 25% increase in capacity this year, which is a phenomenal increase. More than 25,600 additional places have been provided this year as a consequence of the scheme. That includes a 26% increase in provision for those with special educational needs. Everything is being looked at as part of the review, including costs, distance and all the other criteria. We are working as efficiently as possible in the Department to…

Tuigim féin agus an Roinn Oideachais cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an cheist seo. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach. Tá an-chuid oibre déanta go dtí an pointe seo agus táim buíoch den Teachta as an seans é sin a chur os comhair an Tí seo. I thank the Deputy and I want to acknowledge his personal engagement and interest in this, and I am fully cognisant of the importance of the body of work ongoing in relation to this. I want to say very clearly at the outset that the views of survivors of institutional abuse must be, a…

I will be absolutely honest and say that I am very aware of Deputy Ó Laoghaire's personal engagement in relation to this matter. I will not lead the Deputy astray regarding the date. I will check it and get back to the Deputy today with the information. I want to reiterate that I am very cognisant of and I fully understand the importance of the view of the survivors being at the heart of what we are seeking to achieve here. I want to acknowledge that the report of the consultative board, which was a very significan…

I thank the Deputy for raising this Topical Issue matter. It has been raised with me previously by Senator McGreehan and others. At the outset I point out that Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, is the main policy initiative of the Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. The Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Suppleme…

I note the Deputy's concerns. The extension of the DEIS programme progresses the programme for Government commitment to complete the new DEIS identification model and to extend DEIS status to schools serving the highest concentration of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage. The concentration is the issue. The recent expansion will add an additional €32 million to the Department's expenditure on the DEIS programme for 2023, bringing the overall Department of Education allocation for 2023 to €180 million. I am …

Gender is not part of this. It is about concentrated disadvantage.

I am very aware that primary and post-primary schools are experiencing challenges in recruiting substitute teachers. Newly qualified teachers, however, represent an additional source of supply for substitute and full-time posts in 2022 and 2023, with more than 3,600 primary and post-primary newly qualified teachers registered with the Teaching Council. Significant additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution conti…

I thank the Deputy. I appreciate his active engagement on this and his acknowledgement that many initiatives have been introduced to mitigate where there are issues. Notwithstanding this, I absolutely accept there are particular challenges in some areas more so than others. The significant action that has been taken ensures that, for example, we have the third and fourth year students coming onstream. We have more than 1,700 of them now registered. As we speak, if we were to take one higher education institute as a…

I reiterate how heartbreaking and disturbing these revelations and all revelations of abuse are. Sexual abuse of a child by a teacher, school employee or any other person is a repugnant act. It is also a criminal act. In the first instance, it is, therefore, critical that crimes that have been committed are fully and thoroughly investigated by An Garda Síochána, and that process must not be compromised. I have met with a number of survivors in recent days and will continue to do so. I appreciate how bravely so many…

I acknowledge the Deputy's sincerity and the sincerity and unanimity across the House in expressing our revulsion and unequivocal condemnation of what has been visited upon so many children, young people, now adults, who continue to live with this repugnant trauma. I acknowledge, as the survivors have said to me, that they live with it, their families live with it and their wider communities live with it. The Deputy is 100% correct that it is my intention to consult all Opposition spokespersons, who will shortly re…

I appreciate the Deputy's genuine determination to engage with this, which is replicated across the House. I welcome that. It is important to note that we do have robust child protection measures in our schools, oversight of which is conducted by our inspectorate. Notwithstanding that, we are in a situation where we need to ensure that an appropriate inquiry is put in place to deal with all the abhorrent revelations that have come to light. To do that, it is important that there is sufficient engagement with all co…

I am aware that some schools are currently experiencing challenges in recruiting teachers and I am conscious of the impact this could have on our schools. Newly qualified teachers, NQTs, represent an additional source of supply. More than 3,600 primary and post-primary NQTs are registered with the Teaching Council this year. In May 2021, the Department published an updated technical report - Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2020-2038. The report projects a decrease in demand for primary teac…

We need to look at this in the round. We have seen significant changes, enhancements and improvements in education over the past two years both at primary and post-primary level. For example, at primary level, over the past three budgets we ensured that there has been a reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio. It is an historic low of 23:1. We have ensured that all teaching principals have at least one administration day in respect of leave. Where schools have a teaching principal and two or more special classes, they…

The Deputy has to concede that we have looked at a variety of different methods. We have been proactive in this area, notwithstanding the challenges in teacher supply. In the interest of balance, the issues being faced in the education sector are not unique. We are seeing similar issues in other sectors whether it is hospitality, retail, healthcare or whatever. This is the position we find ourselves in at this time. We have an unprecedented climate internationally and all the other issues. We have examined a number…

The Government recognises the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a financial difficulty and challenge for many families. Therefore, as part of budget 2023, I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education system from September 2023. This measure will eliminate the cost to these families of all schoolbooks at primary school, including workbooks. It delivers on the programme for Government commitment to extend the free schoolbook pilot, cur…

On the Deputy's reference to post-primary level, if we had an abundance of money, we would-----

No, but I am just making the point. A sum of €50 million is available to me. I am beginning the process at primary level but it is my hope and expectation that it will in time progress to post-primary level. We already have a very successful book rental scheme, operated by 96% of our schools. With regard to engaging with book publishers and booksellers, schools will have autonomy regarding how they engage. If they wish to engage with a local distributor, they may do so. I made that very clear when I make my announc…

The Deputy, given his position as education spokesperson, will appreciate more than most the value of engaging across the table on any departmental initiatives. That has been a feature of everything we have done, particularly since I became Minister. That engagement will continue. It will specifically include, in respect of the working out of this, the lessons learned from what we did in the past, namely, the book rental scheme and the DEIS scheme, under which there were free schoolbooks. A variety of options have …

I have just said "with the partners in education". Any further discussions required with interested parties and central parties will take place. However, the first step is to engage with the partners in education.