Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills

Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Dalton Tattan:

Someone else may wish to add something to what I will say. I am not sure we have somebody in the group here today who can speak to the SOLAS piece, but we can follow up separately on that and get some information to the Chair if not. I share the Chair's experience as a parent. I have had a similar experience at home in terms of devices and the love of devices.

On the books piece, there have been a couple of recent initiatives and there has been substantive investment. In terms of budget, the most recent budget announcement and our previous one were aimed more specifically at children from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are very alive to the need to encourage reading, both within the classroom as part of formal experience but also, obviously, outside of that. There is certainly plenty of evidence and literature that reading, including reading for pleasure, is a very positive reinforcing factor in the lives and education of students.

I do know if others may want to say something further on that. I will hand over to them.

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