Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the administrative pressure that teaching principals are under. It is not a simple world. As the Chairman says, they are involved in construction if, for example, there are summer works, emergency works or additional accommodation, and they have to work with the board of management. It is quite a complex job. I am constantly considering ways to give more in the budget for teaching principals, such as the extra release day. The Chairman mentioned clusters. Within the small school symposium, we ask how we can add value to them and to the networking that is already going on. Many principals already have ad hocsupport groups. They are great groups to meet because they give us ideas but the question is how we can add value at an official level.

We have covered the safety issues, traffic calming, the walk and cycle options, concessionary places and turning the school transport system on its head. The committee's role in that review of school transport will be important. We will keep in touch on that.

In regard to the junior certificate results in late October, they were a bit late because of the changes after the High Court decision. We proposed a Monday in late September but we are engaging with the education stakeholders. I see Deputy O'Sullivan smiling. For years the stakeholders had been advocating a Friday when normally the results were coming out on a Wednesday. We suggested a Monday in late September but the stakeholders preferred a Friday.