David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It would be interesting to see the statistics on it as well. I have visited one or two of these homework clubs. I was highly impressed by the atmosphere, the work being done and the positivity around it. The way the teachers and others work with the young people in those clubs make them happy places. I saw primary school-age children. It was not a scientific analysis but from going in and soaking up the atmosphere, I was very impressed. I would be interested in seeing those developed a bit more and looking at the research on them to see how beneficial they are. It starts at a very young age - preschool - and the kids move up from there. What I saw was very impressive, but the witnesses are the experts in this regard. They have the statistics and the research.

I want to ask about apprenticeships and traineeships and the issue of career guidance and counselling, especially with respect to Traveller and Roma children. What are the findings there? Where are they ending up in terms of work, further education and training? School completion was mentioned earlier. How many Traveller children get to do the leaving certificate or the applied leaving certificate, for example?