Ms Deirdre MacDonald:

I would like to address the issues relating to the digital divide. There is a digital divide for students and teachers. Teachers have to be commended in the highest manner on their exponential self-education in the face of huge need. They were not found wanting. The thing they needed and did not have was hardware. They were using their own hardware or acquired that of other family members by begging or borrowing. This should not be the case in this age. We always sell Ireland as a digital front runner. When it comes resources for education, that is not the case. The hardware issue must be addressed.

Training is needed for students and for teachers. I wish to make one very important point about teacher training. It must be teacher-led and it must address the needs of the teacher, not the perceived needs of the teacher or those of a great body. We are a very catholic group - we have various skills and we lack others. Training must address teachers' actual needs.

There is a huge initiative overload across the primary and secondary sectors. We should look to Scotland, where inspection is being suspended. We need a realignment. The inspectorate's role must be changed to make it a support structure. Regarding an earlier question on the Health and Safety Authority, I am aware that some environmental health officers and staff from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have been allocated to augment the authority's activities in the context of its support and inspection roles. Our inspectorate can definitely play a supportive role with respect to the safety statements.