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

I must attend a Business Committee meeting shortly so I thank the Chairman for facilitating me. I thank the Minister for the opening statement.

The Chairman referred to the large body of work we are doing on leaving certificate reform. That we are blind to the content of the NCCA report has made it more difficult to do the work in the comprehensive way that I think the Chairman wants it done. It would be of great benefit and assistance to the committee if it could see the report as early as possible. Similarly, in terms of the comhairliúchánpoiblí ó thaobh an Ghaeilge and the work that has been ongoing in that regard, we have heard, at meetings of the education committee and Comhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta, agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge, the Irish language community speaking with one voice on the specifications for T1 and T2 schools. I would like the Minister to be cognisant of the worries of the Irish language community in that regard.

To turn specifically to the Estimates, could the Minister quantify the level of disruption in special educational needs, SEN, provision? A lot of it is due to the substitute shortage. In many schools. SEN teachers are being asked to substitute in mainstream classroom environments to cover for teachers with Covid. I am concerned about the scarring effect on children who require special educational intervention. Related to that is the budget line around for CLASS. It is listed as having commenced in October. Have we really been able to make headway in introducing it given the level of disruption in respect of substitution?

I wish to follow on from Deputy Ó Murchú’s question on the air filtration systems. I realise we should be thinking about ventilation rather than filtration necessarily, but has the Department costed in a meaningful way the introduction of filtration systems, with HEPA filters or otherwise? Has it figures on that?

I have a question about the pensions jump. It has come back as higher than anticipated. Given the composition of our teaching workforce is known, what is taking the Department unaware? Are teachers stepping out of the profession earlier than expected? Is that why there is a jump in the pensions provision? In a situation where we need all hands to the pump, is the Minister making sure she is doing all she can to guard against teacher burnout and teachers leaving?

My final question is on school transport. I noticed that €20 million in savings was realised. I understand the reason for that under-expenditure but hate to see sustainable transport moneys handed back. Could we not have found another way to use the money to drive the sustainable transport agenda at primary and secondary school levels, be it through the safe streets programme, the provision of a better bus fleet or otherwise? I will leave it at that. I thank Chairman for allowing me to contribute.