Ms Brigid Quilligan:

Perhaps when they consider the matter the Minister and the Government might understand and hear the voices of Traveller children and parents, and migrant children, that the 25% will impact on people's ability to access school and enrol. In terms of outlining criteria, what if people, especially nomadic people, do not live in the area? What if the parents have no literacy skills? What if this is the first member of the family to enter secondary school? Supports have been taken away, there are not more visiting teachers and there is no liaison person to inform the parents about the criteria. A person without literacy skills cannot read policies and the Department must take that fact into account.