Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire agus leis an Aire Stáit as a bheith linn um thráthnóna. Tá mé in ann a chinntiú go bhfuil mé i dTeach Laighin.

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for some of the recent announcements of measures that we have been calling for and they have now delivered. We had a long discussion about passing the pupil-teacher ratio reduction on to DEIS schools. That was announced. We asked that the Minister waive the leaving certificate fee. That has been done. We asked that school profiling not form part of this year's calculated grading system. The Minister has ensured that. We also asked that she provide guidance for second level schools in advance of their return in order to deal with the issue of mock examinations. That has been done as well. It is only fair to put on the record the Minister's delivery of measures that were called for.

The students returning to school have lost out on in-class teaching. It is important to emphasise the phrase "in-class teaching", given that teaching has been ongoing, albeit remotely, which has its own difficulties. Will the Minister speak about the Department's analysis of the effects of this loss on children? What scientific research has the Department undertaken to ascertain what damage has been done to children by not having in-class learning? As a result of that analysis, what supports does the Department believe need to be put in place? I do not necessarily want to talk about a feeling the Department has. Rather, I want to hear about actual analysis that has been undertaken.