Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the supports, I want to be very clear that there are considerable supports being provided in our schools for students who are in receipt of special education. For example, we currently have almost 40,000 staff in our schools dedicated to supporting children who have a particular special education need. That is considerable support. It is a massive support given where we were heretofore.

In terms of those who may have an exemption from Irish learning another language, I will be very clear. There is no obligation on any student to take any particular leaving certificate exam. They can study subjects but they are not obliged to actually turn up on the day to take the exam. We are making services available for the students who are exempted from Irish for very specific reasons. It is not a singular judgment made on one day, but one made over a considerable period of time following significant intervention by the special education teaching, SET, allocation and the provision of a variety of supports within the school. Only then is a judgment made by the school staff, who are the experts in the field. That judgment is made for a variety of reasons and is verifiable over a two-year period. I do not think it would be fair to seek to ensure that a student who has an exemption from one subject should not have an opportunity to study certain other subjects. That would defeat the purpose and is not what we are about in education. Exemptions are provided from Irish to ensure students can access the curriculum to the fullest extent possible. It is not our place to limit student opportunities in terms of anything else they might choose to do within the system.

It is important to say that even when students opt out of learning Irish after two years of verifiable interventions, they are encouraged to continue to be assimilated into what is happening in terms of Irish in the school and in the class. I acknowledge that schools are very good at doing that. We have new circumstances now on foot of 2022. Ms Tansey from NEPS may want to comment specifically on why students might need to withdraw and on what specific issues are presented to students. I want to be clear that the whole impetus in education is to ensure students have opportunities to access the curriculum. If it is clearly identified, after two years, that the study of this particular subject is limiting a student's ability to integrate into school and access the fuller curriculum, an exemption is granted. It is only granted after considerable interventions within the school. If the committee wishes to hear the view of NEPS, I am sure Ms Tansey will be happy to come in on that.