Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I understand that. I appreciate how difficult it has been for everyone in the education sector. The delivery of education has been entirely reimagined. All those mitigation measures have allowed us to return to in-person teaching and learning. We learned from the experience of the pandemic that children benefit most from being there and receiving their education in person. It has been difficult for them, but they have adapted resiliently and superbly. Like everybody in wider society, they are looking forward a time where we do not have to enforce these measures. Everything will be reviewed by 28 February and we will follow what the public health advice is at that time.

Regarding substitution, we have been very fortunate that there has been such goodwill from the HEIs and our student teachers have been a remarkable resource to us. Retired teachers have returned to the classroom. Restrictions were lifted for teachers who were on job share or career breaks and people have been permitted to move between different schools. All those measures have helped considerably to meet the challenge of staffing within our schools.

Regarding libraries, we are very supportive of all measures to enhance literacy in our schools. I was very pleased that in this year's budget we secured €20 million to ensure we meet schools' needs for reading books, audiobooks and Braille books to promote the love of reading, the joy of language and the joy of words, and to inculcate that into our students. We are rolling that out into our schools. The Chairman is correct that there is a strong commitment in the program for Government to literacy and the promotion of reading. I think this will be a very positive step forward in that regard.