Colette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. We could spend a week dealing to each of the presentations to explore the detail of them. We have had to cover a good deal of ground. My territory would be similar that traversed by Senator Ruane. I am interested to know if Mr. Dignam, Ms Heelan and Mr. Mokake currently have direct liaison with the Department of Education and Skills? Would they have a contact they would telephone and who would telephone them on issues related to care leavers, refugees or asylum seekers? Would Ms Heelan have such a contact regarding issues concerning people with disabilities?

It would be no harm if Mr. Nevin could describe the statistics in terms of the levels of educational disadvantage. I know he is weary doing so but they are shocking. There should be shocking in terms of the gap in education between the Traveller community and the general population in education and the impact that has. He might also outline the recommendations he particularly wants us to take note of today?

I would interested if Ms Maher could describe the poverty traps and the way in which the return to education grant is not working particularly well with working family allowance and the impact that has. What liaison does she have with the Department?

Is Ms Randall aware of a forum where the crossover between housing and education is discussed and explored at policy level? Does she have a direct line to the Department of Education and Skills and does it have a direct line to her? Could she give some examples of what is working? I know that in Cork Simon Community there are some examples of where things do happen. Also, can they be used as models? Mr. Shane Rooney is in the land of dealing with interdependencies as well. Professor Lynch particularly highlighted that it is impossible to examine educational disadvantage without examining wider society.

I was interested in Mr. Dolan's description of the number of the DEIS schools. The fact that we have so many is surely an example of our failure. We should not have any. We should not need to have schools where we take special care of the pupils in them in that way. There is the issue of the intersectionality and the interdependencies. Is there an interdepartmental group in the Department of Education and Skills that works on policy development in this area? Is Mr. Dolan open to some of the specific proposals Ms Heelan put forward such as, for example, in respect of access to higher education for young people with disabilities? Who makes the policy on disadvantage? Who is involved in that? On what is it based because a common theme seems to be that there are huge DEIS deficits on which to base a solid policy. Those are some common-sense questions.