Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Senator. First, in relation to the capitation grant, this is why it applies for the teacher allocation as well. The school that had the child who has moved will have already received the capitation grant so we cannot then give a second capitation. If a child starts in school A and then halfway through the school year moves to school B, school A has already received the capitation for that child. To then provide capitation to the second school would mean a double payment. We want to make it as fair and as straightforward as possible but obviously, insofar as we can, we want to make sure that the funding is being directed to where the student is and where the school needs it. However, because funding is provided based on a deadline and timeline, we would be providing a double payment, in essence, to certain schools, and the same applies to teacher allocation. We would be providing allocations based on numbers that are not there. That is why we have appeals for that, where the numbers change and where schools can show that their numbers have gone up or are above the threshold that has been set.

On the Irish language, the majority of people I have spoken to would agree that the new plan that was published and is being implemented for our Gaeltacht areas is working really well in terms of supporting Gaeltacht schools, the children in them and those teaching there as well. There are two separate plans looking at teaching Irish in our Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí and in our English language schools. The same structure and engagement have taken place in the development of those policies as well. I hope to be able to publish them in September and set out the details then. I agree, as I am sure most colleagues will, that we would all love to be better at our native language and to ensure that when children leave school, if they have been taught Irish for as many years as they are, that they are more fluent. That really is the focus. It is important that we bring enjoyment into it. We want children to enjoy learning the language and speaking it and to have as many opportunities to do so as possible.

On school transport, every year we have to assess the children who apply and determine whether they meet the criteria. A child may have had a concessionary ticket in one year but based on the number of students who apply the following year, it might not be available. That is why we want to make sure we have a new scheme with criteria that are not as narrow. We want to open the scheme up to as many students as possible. I said that there would be a further extension of the pilot this year and then based on the review of the work that is under way in the two pilots, we will be able to assess how we roll out the 100,000 places over the lifetime of the Government. We have only started that process but it is our intention to try to increase those numbers every year, bit by bit.

On secretaries, I will start by acknowledging the work they do in our schools. For the most part, schools would be lost without them. Obviously, there have been changes in recent years. Working with Fórsa and the secretaries, a WRC agreement reached in 2022 accepted, in ballot, a package that aligned them with the clerical grade 3 pay scale, entitled them to public sector pay increases and improved their terms and conditions, including annual leave, sick leave and maternity leave. What was not agreed at the time was that they would part of the single public service pension scheme and that is what they have balloted on more recently. It is more complex because it is not just my Department that is involved. Obviously, I cannot make that decision because it is not within my gift to do so. What I will say is that there will be further engagement in the coming weeks. It is really important that we engage with them and try to resolve this insofar as possible.