I thank the Deputy. Again, I want to be clear. I have never been ambiguous around the fact that I am an advocate of students getting the maximum opportunity to showcase their talents and present themselves in the best possible light at every step in education, including in the leaving certificate exam. I have said very clearly that there will be a review of the operation of the scheme. This is right and proper. There has been great learning, this year and previously, and I believe we need to look at these learnings…

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to outline for the House the position on staffing in schools, particularly the schools referred to by the Deputy. The key factors for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September, those being the October returns. Previous budgets of 2016 and 2018 improved the staffing schedule. Budget 2021 implemented a reduction of one point for the 2021-2…

I acknowledge the Deputy's ongoing commitment to, and interest in, all areas pertaining to education, particularly these cases. Regarding the primary school, I have outlined that the application has been successful, pending the 30 September enrolment numbers. Regarding the campus and the post-primary schools, the Department provides the staffing allocation to each ETB on the basis of the overall enrolment of students within schools in the board's charge. Responsibility for the distribution of that staffing allocati…

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to update her on the building project to provide a new school for Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together National School on lands at Broomfield, Malahide, County Dublin. As the Deputy has outlined, Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together National School is currently in interim accommodation in the former Teagasc building at Malahide Road, Kinsealy. Fingal County Council, under the memorandum of understanding between the Department and the…

I want to underline my clear appreciation and understanding of the school community and the position in which they find themselves. I am familiar with this case and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and others, have engaged with me on an ongoing basis on this school. On the planning process, we engaged in the pre-planning aspect of it and no one knows better than someone involved in a planning application that any issue can arise once a planning application has been su…

I move amendment No.1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — a child's right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and, under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, must be accessible on an equal basis with others in the community in which they live; and — the Government is committed to ensuring that each child with a special educational need (SEN) has an appropriate school place, in line with their Constitutional right and P…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist agus as an deis chun freagra a thabhairt dó ó thaobh na scoile seo. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position in regard to the major building project for Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin in Finglas East, Dublin 11. The project is included in my Department's construction programme, which is being delivered under the national development plan, NDP, as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. Under …

Tuigim cé chomh deacair is a bhí sé go dtí seo agus tá a fhios agam freisin go bhfuil géarghá ann an scoil a chur chun cinn go tapa. I absolutely understand all the Deputy has outlined and I appreciate the enormous tribute that is richly deserved by the community, which has worked so hard to advance the school and promote it. Indeed, credit is due also to the community for the manner in which it has embraced the school and ensured it has thrived, as the Deputy outlined. I appreciate how important it is to everybody…

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. It gives me an opportunity to present the most up-to-date information to the House. I will say to the House, as I did to the Deputy personally, that it was an excellent visit to east Cork. I very much appreciated the opportunity to meet the schools and school communities on the ground and have very positive engagements. We are very appreciative of that. I acknowledge that many of the points raised with me on the day with regard to issues did not pertain to my Department. T…

I reiterate to the House the Government's commitment to welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine and seeking protection in Ireland. That welcome is extended across society. The Department's primary concern is to ensure children and young people of schoolgoing age from Ukraine are provided with appropriate educational opportunities. I acknowledge, as I did at the outset, the tremendous work that our students, school leaders and staff are doing and continue to do in welcoming Ukrainian children and young people into…

I would like to begin by acknowledging and thanking the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for its detailed report on the Bill, particularly noting the committee's emphasis on ensuring equity and access in the admissions policies of Irish schools. This ambition is shared by the Department, which commits to creating an education system in which everyone has access to an excellent education that is inclusive of all, irrespective of belief system, race, ethnici…

I thank both Deputies for their contributions on the committee report and the broader issues related to the admissions Act. It sets out important requirements on transparency that must be adhered to in schools' admissions policies. I am conscious that the Act was commenced fully only in the past academic year. Deputy Ó Murchú referred to the need to tackle disadvantage across society. Significant resources have been made available by the Department of Education to target disadvantage in education specifically. The …

A range of measures are in place to reduce back-to-school costs and also to help families with these costs. The Department published a circular in 2017 which sets out principles of cost-effective practice to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of returning to school. Under these measures, schools are required to select school uniforms that are generic and can be purchased from an array of retailers and only iron-on or sew-on crests should be used. The circular also sets out that schools should consult parents …

Deputy Ó Laoghaire needs to take a more holistic view of the various measures we have in schools. For example, as I already referenced, significant funding has gone into DEIS. We have more schools than ever in DEIS, following the single biggest increase in the DEIS profile for schools, costing to the tune of €18 million this year and increasing to €32 million in 2023. In addition, specifically in terms of measures of late, in recognition of the pressure facing families, this year the Government reduced the cost of …

I reiterate that the book scheme was extended and the pilot programme has run for two years. We have given a commitment that we will review the programme and look at the potential going forward for it to be either continued or extended. As Deputy Ó Laoghaire is aware, that is a budget consideration. It is important that we allow the pilot to complete and for it to be fully reviewed. He would accept that is best practice in regard to any model. Equally so, it is important to acknowledge that under the book rental sc…

Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students and it is equally important that this education meets the needs of students in their day-to-day lives and reflects models of best practice. The Department of Education continues to work closely with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, to give best effect to the commitment in the programme for Government to develop inclusive and age-appropriate relationships and sexuality education, RSE, and social, personal and health edu…

I acknowledge the Deputy's personal engagement with this issue. I also acknowledge we have made significant progress in progressing this. As I have articulated, I can point to the fact that specifications for junior cycle are due to be published very shortly, followed by public consultation, which has marked this process. At the same time, preparation has begun for senior cycle and we are also looking at the revision at primary level. It is equally important to say that all children and young people have a right to…

Again, I very clearly reiterate the curriculum must be followed in our schools. All schools must follow it and all students are entitled to the full and factual information as presented by our curriculum. In anticipation of that, we have very clearly set out the process to ensure our curricula are as current, up to date and appropriate as is necessary and possible. The work is ongoing, which I appreciate the Deputy referenced. While the work is being completed in updating and reviewing the present curriculum, we ha…

It is the soul of wit. The project for Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers is included in the Department’s construction programme, which is being delivered under the national development plan as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion in capital investment over the period from 2021 to 2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high-quality building projects wi…

I acknowledge the growth of the school, as well as the service provided by the school community, school staff and wider community in ensuring it is the success that it is. As the Deputy indicated, it is a positive step that the process to appoint the project manager will be completed this week. Once fully appointed, the project manager will meet departmental officials and will put in train their programme for appointment of the design team for each of the projects in this ADAPT programme. The project manager will a…