Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I read both of the submissions and I am sorry I did not get to hear the witnesses. My apologies for that. I have one question and one observation. On the observation, I have been working closely with schools, teachers and parents across my constituency and I see a very mixed picture. From some parents I hear about a teacher or principal being absolutely wonderful and that the atmosphere the teacher or principal brings within the school is transformative in the delivery of education plans, the experience of the child, the communication between the parent and teacher and how it all works. Then I hear about a different experience in other schools, where it is hard to get the plan done, it is hard to make any criticisms and it is hard to raise problems. Parents ask me if there is a way of doing this through the board of management so they do not have to go through the principal because they feel the principal is not working with them on that occasion or perhaps is not as interested. I have also worked with schools in my area that have identified a premises and proactively chased the Department to make sure to get it as well as others who have very much wanted to do that and are already doing massively inclusive work, but maybe have not had the time or capacity to help to get its board of management to find the extra premises or whatever.

I see a very collaborative sector with parents and politicians across the board and I see people with very different challenges across my constituency. However, I do not believe at any stage that anybody is immune from criticism. I do not believe that the witnesses are immune from criticism, that I am immune from criticism, that the Minister is immune from criticism or that any other sector is immune from criticism. I struggle with that and how there are genuinely mixed experiences when I see how much collaborative work is being done. I struggle with that in both of the submissions. Perhaps this is not what the witnesses are saying, but I struggle with this idea that nobody can be criticised at any point. I am sure that is not what they are saying, of course. It must not be. However, we have a challenge with making sure that all children get access. Certainly, I have tried to work proactively on the ground with schools in my constituency to make sure the Department is delivering extra funding and making sure the painting is done on time and all the different things are done to deliver extra classes because that is what we want. There is a question around that. I am sure that is not what the witnesses are saying, or maybe it is. They can tell me.

Second, what is the union view on what more needs to happen with regard to July provision and making sure that people are available to deliver the July provision that is necessary so students, particularly at the more acute end of the spectrum, are not faced with the scale of disruption and regression that is happening year on year? What is the role for teachers in that?