Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am referring to access to the right skills in order to achieve the best outcomes. I ask him to be as proactive in education and to have the vision and commitment to do something similar here to ensure that our children have access to the required amount of trained psychologists and counsellors so that their well being is looked after.

I am very disappointed to see no reference whatsoever to resilience in the Estimates. I have spoken to the Minister about this in person. We need to ensure that our children have a toolbox of skills to cope at times of crisis. A rounded education is of paramount importance for our children. I am aware that some secondary schools are doing excellent work in this regard - involving Headstrong, Jigsaw and so forth - where vulnerable teenagers are targeted and their psychological needs addressed. Unfortunately, however, such programmes are sporadic. They must be further developed and designed by experts. We must also consider making such programmes available in primary schools. A more uniform approach is needed in this area. We must move away from a situation where resilience is squeezed into the school day through the efforts of particular teachers who have possibly taken time out and paid for training in this area towards a whole-school approach.

I ask the Minister to consider reversing the decision made in the 2012 budget to remove the ex-quota guidance allocation in second level schools. Cuts to such services reduce that crucial, easy access for teenagers when they are in trouble. That decision had a very unequal impact because many schools were able, through parental contributions, to pay for private counsellors. It was the DEIS schools and the disadvantaged students who were crying out for help who had their only trained counsellors taken away. I ask the Minister to consider that as key to the well-being of our children.

I note that the provision of additional resource teachers is not included - it is on page 18. Yet there is a reference to a new model which would cost €24 million in 2017, with a full year cost of €72 million. Why is this vital resource not included?

At the end of his presentation, the Minister mentioned the €130 million relating to the Lansdowne Road agreement. Is that the money needed to uphold the recent agreement with two of the teacher unions? Is there potential provision if agreement is reached with ASTI? Regarding addressing the inequality for newly qualified teachers, is there provision for reimbursement for loss of earnings for NQTs who have been on reduced pay scale for the past four or five years given that it will have a substantial impact on their pension entitlements?