Ms Martina Mannion:

I thank the Senator. I will ask my colleagues to deal with some of those questions.

The point about a siloed approach and ensuring that Departments and communities are working very closely together is very important. Education is now spread across three Departments. Early education is with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, we are dealing with primary right through to the end of post-primary education, and our colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science are working on that whole piece as regards lifelong learning. We work very closely together. Some of the issues we are aware of that arose from our engagement in preparing for today include, for instance, the programme for access to higher education, PATH, funded programmes, supported by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. That fund is valued at more than €30 million, which is used as part of the national plan for equity of access to education. It ensures that all people in targeted groups can participate to the greatest degree possible in further and higher education. The Department intended to have a total fund of €3.6 million for this between 2019 and 2022. That is intended to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups entering initial teacher training and providing more role models for students, which is something that is very important.

On the issue the Senator raised regarding attainment levels for students in our education system, it is important to note that our education system compares very favourably as regards outcomes for literacy and numeracy across the systems. Data have recently been published by the progress in international reading literacy study, PIRLS, and the teacher information management system, TIMS, and we will have the new programme for international student assessment, PISA, results later in 2023. These testing processes include all children in mainstream settings, including children with special educational needs or children who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is a reassurance to the system that a very high-quality system is available and in place to support children. Work on quality assurance also happens at a school and inspectorate level. I will ask my colleague, Mr. Doody, to give an outline of that. We will come back to the Senator separately on the other points she raised.