Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that is a question that may be better asked of the Catholic Primary School Management Association, CPSMA, which has indicated an interest in coming here, but we are limited in the number of people we can bring in. I thank the witness for her answer.

There has been much more home schooling than anticipated, and more certainly than would have been anticipated 12 months ago. That is limited by broadband connectivity to the schools, but equally, and perhaps even more pertinently, by broadband connectivity in the home. The national broadband plan has been the subject of much discussion in this Chamber and politically generally. It is not clear what the priority will be for who will be connected first. Inevitably, some people will be connected first and some will be connected last. Is there a case to be made for the homes of children who may need to be schooled at home or who may need access to good quality Internet for an educational purpose that was not anticipated 12 months ago?