Mr. Bernard Joyce:

I will give feedback on some of the comments made.

We welcome Deputy Thomas Byrne's comment on there being a constitutional right to an education, as stated and as we have been stating for a long time. Participating in full-time education is a fundamental right and it would be wrong to deprive anybody of it. That is why we are here. The outcomes for Traveller children, children with autism and for others owing to socio-economic reasons are such that they are leaving school without completing the leaving certificate, or the junior certificate for that matter.

To respond to other issues raised, we have been contacted by parents across the country who have told us that their children are on a reduced timetable, that they are unaware of what recourse they have or the procedures or legislation in place. While we know that there are remedies available, it is left to parents to address the particular issue. That is not the right approach to take.

I am looking at a submission the Irish Traveller Movement made some considerable time ago in April 2011 on education cuts. There is a connection between the cuts made and the reduced timetables that are impacting directly on Traveller children today, as we have heard in the discussion on resources. The removal overnight of the resources put in place to support, enable and encourage parents and schools will have a significant impact, as we are seeing. We have lost a generation of young Travellers at primary and post-primary level, which has been a regressive step. One of the recommendations is that there be an audit to see why the cuts took place to assess fully if they were justified or carried out in a disproportionate manner. I understand this has not materialised.

We lost 40 visiting teachers who would link with communities and schools. They would be very helpful.

On resource teachers, I estimate that there were 500 at the time of the cuts and then they were gone. It was fundamentally wrong in every sense to do this to the most vulnerable, marginalised and socially excluded group. The opportunities for young Travellers today are being limited as a result. We, therefore, need to address the issue of school resources. It is not about blaming schools but about looking at how we work with the system in which these resources have been cut to improve provision. It is also to ensure that where there are reduced timetables, there is a very clear rationale they are in place.

We need to look at putting resources in place to ensure every single child will have access to a full education within the system. As things stand, we are not achieving this. People are beginning to seek advice and support from community law centres and NGOs to have these issues addressed. We have made some clear recommendations. There has to be a reframing to ensure this issue is eradicated with immediate effect. I do not accept for one minute that a child should be put on a reduced timetable. It appears to be based on identity and expectations as opposed to anything else. There are reasons for this, given that some schools have mentioned Traveller children. It is disproportionate. We need to examine the issue without waiting to discover what is international best practice. Ireland has to step up to the plate and develop best practice in order to shape Europe's response. The Departments need to collaborate to ensure a strategic co-ordinated approach is adopted. The task now for everybody, including all of the political parties, is to work together to that end.