Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Everybody seemed to agree that a meeting on additional needs right now was a burning issue. What format would that take? We have already had sessions in the Dáil, and I am sure there have been in the Seanad, so there is no point in repetition. It would have to include some groups that were at the coal face of trying to get special education places. Would we discuss that?

On other themes that need to be taken up by the committee, I agree with the point made about additional time. That has been raised and is important. The issue of reading schools is one that has come up a lot in my area. On inclusive education, there have been a number of statements made in the newspapers by several TDs and others that are a bit worrying. It is now woke, apparently, to not want one religion dominating the education system. There should be a session about that.

There has been no real progress with sex education since 2018 when I introduced a Bill on the matter. The education committee discussed it but it has not been implemented. That would be particularly relevant to our discussion of the manosphere and the targeting of young men and boys.

The teacher shortage is a crucial issue. It is at the heart of everything. We should discuss how that can be tackled with, for example, extra allowances and measures that other governments are actively taking and this Government is not. The Australian and British Governments are doing an awful lot.

I have never had a discussion on these matters, but they are important, as is the building programme. We should have a report on what the delays are, what the hiccups are, why we are not able to get modular buildings in and why it is taking nine or ten months.