Mr. Eamon Stack:

I thank everyone because the session has been very informative and very helpful. Plenty has been asked that we need to reflect on and we will do that. There are two parts to this. There is the new model and its rationale. There is also the implementation or the operational issues. The positive responses so far about the model are very encouraging. I think it is almost unanimous that we need to move to a new model. The legitimate question has been raised of whether we do it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Further, the question of what t's need to be crossed and i's need to be dotted has been asked.

I cannot give the Senator a number on how many teachers at second-level or post-primary level have appropriate training. However, we have published a guide for parents. Question 2 and its answer might be helpful. It asks if school principals and teachers are equipped to make decisions about a child's education that previously required a report from a psychologist or other professional. That question is answered although I will not go through that answer in detail now. However, this kind of matter has been dealt with by the working group. We say that the model proposed is the model on which to build the house and the foundations have been laid.