Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and Minister of State. I thank all of those who have put in place so many positive systems to ensure that Ukrainian students at this time of major trauma have welcome places in schools. I thank in particular school principals and teachers and, of course, the other children in the classes who have made our guests welcome.

I will ask about some particular areas, one of which is the summer programme as there has been comment and queries on it. I welcome the extra funding and support for the programme and the decision to provide special capacity for those who have been displaced. Having spoken to teachers and SNAs, I have a concern about the uptake of professionals to be able to roll out the programme. While it is welcome that the principal does not have to be present, the fact that there has to be a named teacher from each school can be a problem. I understand from SNAs that payment for last year's programme was not made until January of this year. There seems to be a reluctance to take up those positions again. We need to get that right.

The home-school liaison scheme is one of the best programmes in the education system. It has provided substantial support to families and children. Has consideration been given to providing extra home-school liaison teachers to schools with high numbers of Ukrainians? I am thinking of the trauma the children and their parents - it is mainly the mums who are here - have gone through. The connection with the school and community the home-school liaison programme provides is very important.

While most schools have co-operated and tried to ensure that children have places, we are aware of schools that do not have places. I know of a small number of Ukrainian families who have not secured a school place in the community in which they have been placed. I am speaking specifically of Newbridge. The closest school available is in Halverstown. That has been suggested but transport has not been put in place. The young boy in question has been in Ireland for two months now and has not had an opportunity to access education, which concerns me. We need to ensure school transport is in place, particularly in September when the new school year starts.

On plans to support intensive English language learning, we do not know how long the students will be here, although we all hope the war will end soon. There will be a need to rebuild Ukraine. What plans are in place to provide for examinations in Ukrainian and offer intensive English language teaching, particularly for older students who are taking their other subjects through English?

The Minister stated that 49 people had registered with the Teaching Council. I appreciate that vetting and so on are a difficulty. I am aware of three teachers from Ukraine who applied some time ago and have still not heard whether they will be accepted and can start teaching.