Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will address the issue of guidance first. I am absolutely committed to the full restoration of guidance. There is in no question of trying to play weasel words. I am not only committed to that but I am committed to expanding the National Educational Psychological Service by 25% as well to support the student needs to which Deputy Catherine Martin has referred. This is in addition to rolling out a well-being programme in the junior cycle that will represent significant additional hours. I have had a number of meetings throughout the country with people at the coalface seeking to shape these programmes in order to maximise their impact.

The approach being taken by the Department is to ring-fence the additional resource for guidance, but the idea is that it would be required to be delivered within the guidance plan. As Deputy Thomas Byrne said, this allows that at some level there can be others providing guidance. However, the predominant delivery of guidance will be-----