Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for allowing me to come back in. I thank also the Minister and officials at the Department. The DEIS programme and rollout are fantastic to see. One in four schools is in the programme. A secondary school in Ballinasloe, County Galway, was one of the schools in Galway to join and it recently received investment for a classroom. It is phenomenal.

One of my earlier questions was about DEIS access and the digital library for the junior certificate schools programme. There are audiobooks available and it is offered free to staff and students in DEIS schools. From what I understand from the committee, we have had correspondence about this from Ms Kathleen Moran, the senior librarian, concerning some of the new schools that have been added into DEIS and the digital library service. The Minister may be able to answer this query. It mentions that the response entailed that a review of the junior certificate schools programme is under way. While the review is ongoing, no new applications are being accepted from schools for entering into the junior certificate schools programme or the digital library service.

Has this come from the Department and if so, at what level? Was it for circulation to school principals? Can the Minister outline the terms of the review and advise whether a timeline is in place? A number of reviews are ongoing in the Department. Does the Minister have a list of the reviews? We are obviously familiar with the review of school transport but perhaps she could give the committee a summary of the reviews if she has it, or perhaps she can send it to the committee. It is wonderful that so many schools are availing of the DEIS programme. This was one of the other elements that is a fantastic addition. Is access a challenge at the moment for schools?