Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Slattery spoke about pathways. An issue that has been highlighted repeatedly to the committee is the lack of availability of choice, particularly in second level schools. This is having a detrimental impact, particularly on subjects that are not necessarily academic based. We have been told that from entry to secondary school students are pigeonholed and their career options are being limited because of the lack of availability of choice when it comes to subjects such as computer science, woodwork and metalwork. It is with regard to these types of options. What impact do the witnesses see this having on the flow of students into apprenticeships if they have not had a base in the subjects in secondary school?

I want to speak about RSE. Toolkits were mentioned.

We were also told one in three students stated they had not received any form of RSE at senior cycle and that is reflected in a recent study by the Irish Second-Level Students' Union, ISSU. It seems there are a considerable number of processes in place that are not feeding through the system to the receivers, that is, the people who should benefit from those processes. Can Dr. Sullivan give us an opinion - I do not want to say excuse or reason as they are not the words I am looking for - on why that is happening? Why is gender inequality still such an issue in our schools?