Ms Maria Joyce:

I might come in first with a couple of brief points. For clarity, there has never been a Traveller education strategy. What we did have, launched by the then Minister for Education and Science in 2006, was a report with recommendations for an education strategy but it was never followed through on. In that context, there is now an education strategy in the programme for Government and commitments in that regard. We know from working at a national level and engaging with local Traveller organisations that there is a significant need for a vision and education strategy, outlined with an implementation plan, to deliver what is needed.

I am not sure whether it was Senator O'Loughlin or Deputy Conway-Walsh who made a point about accountability. Many of the recommendations remain unimplemented because there is no accountability or consequence for the arms of the State that are responsible for delivering equality of access to, participation in and outcomes from education for Traveller children. That is why there has not been the progression that is needed.

As for whether enough was done during the Covid restrictions with regard to the digital divide, Wi-Fi and broadband, my straight-up answer is "No". Efforts were made, and perhaps at third level it was done a bit more comprehensively than at primary and post-primary level, but we know the reality from the work that local Traveller organisations did on the ground, engaging with families and children. One local Traveller organisation carried out a survey throughout its county that found that only one in every five Traveller families had adequate technology, which meant that four of every five children went without technology that would have allowed them to engage in remote and online learning. Enough was not done, therefore, and now we are dealing with the consequences of that. Already, there are deep undertones of inequality and disadvantage regarding the outcomes of education, with gaps in attendance at school of significant numbers of months, and that learning and those opportunities need to be recouped. We need structured supports, on an ongoing basis, to address that in a vision and policy context.

All that we are asking is to have an equal opportunity for Traveller children to engage fully in an education system that will deliver equality of outcomes in order that they have the opportunities to go directly to third level from second level. They should have a right to education from that perspective.

I agree with Senator O'Loughlin about the restricted timetables. There was an interim report of a committee which she chaired with regard to reduced timetables and the impact that they were having on Traveller children and on children with disabilities. We are not seeing the work that needs to be done. We have guidelines that have still not been implemented in the schools. There is a role for the inspectorate, when monitoring, to ensure that guidelines on reduced timetables are adhered to in order that we can eradicate a really bad practice that is impinging on the rights of and doing harm to Traveller children with regard to education outcomes.