Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has engaged very positively in the context of the report on bullying. There are, however, a couple of issues I would like to raise. I acknowledge the audit of the action plan on bullying. That is important and overdue. I also acknowledge the role of the inspectorate in terms of gathering data, but it is slightly at variance from the recommendation in the report, which was to establish a national system for the compilation of this disaggregated data, collation and measurement. This would be more in-depth and valuable thing if we could take it on and build on our experience of getting feedback from the inspectorate. I would like to see costings and a pilot programme in terms of those recommendations around psychologists located within schools for emotional counselling and therapeutic supports. Recommendation 8 relates to middle management positions. This goes to Covid-19 supports, bullying and so many things within schools. There has not been a restoration of middle management posts. We know that schools were affected differently according to their age profile. Is that something that the Minister will look at in the context of the budget?