Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a very big concern that the guidance counsellors are not actually in the schools particularly now during the Covid pandemic.

I have a question for the National Parents Council Primary. Are its members asking about supports to deal with an increased level of anxiety among their children? Are they finding children this year much more anxious than would normally be the case? Parents coming to my office have indicated that their children are more anxious and nervous. Has the National Parents Council Primary discussed supports for primary schoolchildren who may be anxious particularly if they are high-risk or have underlying conditions?

When the capacity of school buses was reduced to 50% and parents were told that if they drove their children to school they could seek a refund, was the matter discussed with the National Parents Council Primary? How does the council see that working? Is there a timeline involved? How do people apply for the refund?

Many people who have come to my office do not have a car and depend on bus services. They cannot afford taxis. On what programme did the National Parents Council Post Primary work with the Department? Was it at the talks? While it is good that there is an incentive in place to drive secondary school children to school, the family must have a car to avail of it. How much will families be paid as a refund?